The married couple of Gael Monfils of France and Elina Svitolina of Ukraine did some serious damage on Saturday in the the third round of the 2025 Australian Open. Both Monfils and Svitolina knocked out the world number fours in the singles draws. Monfils, at 38 years old, is still playing tennis at a high level. While Svitolina, who is 30 years of age and 28th seed, has reached the fourth round of the singles draw for the 18th time in her career. Monfils and Svitolina married on July 16, 2021.
Who did Monfils and Svitolina beat?
Monfils, who is 41st in the world, and coming off an impressive win in Auckland leading up to the Australian Open, beat the world number four Tommy Fritz of the United States, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6, 6-4. Fritz reached the final of the 2024 United States Open. Monfils’s best grand slam results were reaching the semifinals of the 2008 French Open and 2016 United States Open.
Svitolina beat Jasmine Paolini of Italy 2-6, 6-4, 6-0. Svitolina made the semifinals of Wimbledon and the United States Open in 2019, and Wimbledon in 2023. Paolini reached the finals of Wimbledon and the French Open in 2024.
In Monfils’s win over Fritz, it was fascinating how much Monfils was enjoying himself on the court. At one time he actually giggled after winning a point. Fritz, meanwhile was getting discouraged quite easily. Monfils’s serve was working extremely well as he had 24 aces compared to 12 for Fritz. Svitolina was also the better server in her match. She had seven aces compared to zero for Paolini.
Who does Monfils and Svitolina play next?
Monfils plays American Ben Shelton, the 21st seed, in round four. Svitolina next plays the unseeded Russian Veronika Kudermetova in round four. Kudermetova has won their two prior meetings. She first beat Svitolina 6-2, 1-6, 7-5 in the second round of the 2019 Kremlin Cup in Moscow, and then beat Svitolina 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 in the quarterfinals of Abu Dhabi in 2021.
