PARIS :Britain’s fifth seed Jack Draper fought off inspired home favourite Gael Monfils to claim a 6-3 4-6 6-3 7-5 victory and reach the third round of the French Open on a raucous Court Philippe Chatrier on Thursday.
Riding a wave of partisan support, 38-year-old showman Monfils produced some dazzling tennis to win the second set and level the match and despite losing the third, looked on course to set up a decider as the crowd went wild.
The free-swinging Monfils broke Draper’s serve in the fourth set as the clock moved past 11pm local time and saved five break points in an epic seventh game to move 5-2 ahead.
Battling fatigue and struggling to move between points, Monfils still had two set points on the Draper serve at 5-4 but his 23-year-old opponent stayed ice cool to fend them off.
Draper then moved 6-5 ahead with another service break and duly finished an absorbing contest at the first time of asking before warmly embracing Monfils at the net.
“It’s my first time on this court and what a battle, what an experience against someone I admire as a tennis player but off the court they guy is incredibly nice, such a joker, he’s a magician he does everything,” Draper said on court.
“Playing Gael and against you guys (the crowd), no offence taken. This is why I play tennis.”
Monfils marked his 18th main draw appearance at Roland Garros by battling back from two sets down to beat Hugo Dellien in the first round and initially he looked overpowered by the left-handed Draper who has became a major force in quick time.
But something about a Parisian evening under the lights inspires Monfils and he was soon producing the sort of shot-making that has made him such a crowd favourite down the years.
He reeled off four consecutive games on his way to levelling the match, feeding off the energy of his adoring fans as he stunned Draper with some unbelievable winners.
Draper doused the fire in a straightforward third set but the fourth was a 75-minute epic sprinkled with sensational rallies and Draper looked hugely relieved to have survived.
“My brain was fried out here. I’m not sure if I am going to go to sleep tonight because my brain is just all over the place with what he was doing out here,” Draper said.
“That’s why he has had such a successful career and is loved by all the fans. The players love to watch him play as well but not to play against him.”
The match featured 104 winners and Draper can expect another firefight when he takes on rising Brazilian Joao Fonseca for a place in the last 16.
