Gaël Monfils offers world number one Daniil Medvedev in Indian Wells

The term is sometimes sprinkled exaggeratedly and very practical to cover the beautiful things of sport. But what Gaël Monfils achieved on Tuesday in the 3rd round of Indian Wells is an authentic feat, in the pure vein of those who place themselves in big letters on the list of winners. At 35, the Frenchman tamed world No. 1, Daniil Medvedev, in three sets (4-6, 6-3, 6-1). The latter will no longer be at the top of the ranking on Monday: very weeks after being dislodged, Novak Djokovic will regain his throne.

In his entire career, this is only the second time that Monfils has expelled a world No. 1 in office from an ATP tournament. The first and only precedent was in Doha in 2009, 13 years ago, and the king was then called Rafael Nadal. To date, only Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has done better, among the French, beating a number one three times!

But beyond the intrinsic performance, it is the content, the approach, the abnegation and the commitment that Monfils put in throughout the meeting that delights. After more than a month off the circuit, trying to rebuild his “box” and treat a physical slack on which no one really put words or a precise diagnosis, Monfils had landed in California without a compass, without too much know where he was. He simply wanted to lay down the first beacons, reassure himself and gauge himself, behind an amazing start to the season, before this mysterious setback (victory in Adelaide 1 and quarter-final in Melbourne).

Monfils, superb resistance and roars

Monday, the French was both superb resistance and roar. And yet, he could have abdicated, collapsed, after the loss of a first set, which he had ended up offering to the Russian, at 4-4, on a totally unscrewed game, with two double faults and a gross error. forehand. Without being transcendent, Medvedev was then in control. Far behind his line, but with this Machiavellian ability to find baroque angles and to play again and again.

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Gaël Monfils is the seventh Frenchman to beat a world number one after Leconte, Noah, Forget, Grosjean, Simon and Tsonga.

Monfils had also taken the hit, finding himself on a second set entry wire, having to dismiss a break point in the exchange and pull out a serve with the spoon to stay afloat! But the Frenchman was there, valiant and above all much more aggressive in the game than Medvedev. His forehand strike was heavy, but the Frenchman did not settle only in this sector. He sometimes brought a few slices, bombed one or two balls, brought the Russian into the short game, where Medvedev, every time, got his brushes tangled up, took out a sideways volley and got passed.

Alcaraz for a quarter

Between two players with fabulous defensive ground coverage, Monfils was the bolder on offense. And even when he lost his break lead at 3-1 in the second set, after a grueling game that could have left him stranded, the 28th in the world did not flinch. Strong in the noggin, he now held long exchanges and narrowed the possibilities of the Russian, reluctant to go forward, where he was hardly happy. Monfils was on the way and it was Medvedev, him the fine tactician, the madman of the game, who was suddenly a little lost. “La Monf” slammed a long line forehand with joy to break at 4-3 and finished the job with a second winning spoon serve!

For Monfils, who ended the work with a final cross-back assault, it was a magnificent sign and proof that he was not always wrong, as he seemed to believe after his cruel defeat against Matteo Berrettini in Australian Open quarter-finals last January. On Monday, the Frenchman was often right tactically and never too much in excess. He will need at least that and perhaps more to subdue in the round of 16 the Spanish prodigy, Carlos Alcaraz (19th), who made short work of his compatriot Roberto (6-2, 6-0). Bautista Agut (15th). But when we released the world No. 1, we legitimately have the right to dream the biggest dreams…

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