This is the first time that the 37-year-old Frenchman Gaël Monfils has managed to beat the 16-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in three confrontations.
Monfils had not beaten a top 3 player since his victory over Daniil Medvedev, then world No. 1 in March 2022. It was in the round of 16 at Indian Wells, before conceding in the following round the first of his two defeats against… Alcaraz, also the winner of their reunion in Miami this year.
Second oldest player to defeat a top 3 player according to ATP
The third face-to-face took place in two stages, since their meeting was first interrupted on Thursday evening at the time of the tie-break of the second set due to rain, while the Parisian had a slight advantage (3-1).
An advantage he managed to maintain on Friday to push the Murcian, recent winner of Roland-Garros and Wimbledon, into the third set. Monfils then broke to lead 3-1, just after Alcaraz smashed his racket in anger at having missed an opportunity to do the same, and he won in 2h30.
Enough to become, according to the ATP, the second oldest player to beat a member of the top 3, after Roger Federer, who was 38 when he beat Novak Djokovic at the 2019 Masters.
As prestigious as his victory is, Monfils will have to quickly turn his attention to his round of 16, since he is scheduled for the evening, against the Dane Holger Rune (16th).
