Gael Monfils Celebrates 40th Birthday with US Open Victory

Most people blow out candles. Gael Monfils blew away an opponent.

On his 40th birthday, in what he has already confirmed is the final season of his career, the French showman marked the milestone exactly as you would expect: under the lights, in New York, winning a Grand Slam match and making an entire stadium sing.

He beat Paraguayan Adolfo Daniel Vallejo 2-6 6-1 6-2 6-0 at the US Open, a scoreline that started with concern and ended in a rout. The former world number six became the oldest man to win a US Open main-draw match since Jimmy Connors – who also triumphed on his 40th birthday back in 1992. The symmetry suited the moment. So did the setting.

At first, it did not look like a celebration. Vallejo came out swinging, taking the opening set 6-2 as Monfils searched for his range and rhythm. The legs looked heavy, the timing just off. For a brief spell, the script threatened to turn cruel.

Then the night changed.

Monfils tightened his game, lifted his intensity and, as he has done for two decades, fed off the New York noise. Once he found his groove, the contest flipped sharply. He swept through the second set 6-1, then the third 6-2, and finally humiliated the scoreboard in the fourth, 6-0. From 0-1 down in sets to complete control, the veteran turned the match into a one-man show.

Every winner, every sprint, every sliding defensive dig carried that familiar mix of flair and defiance. This was not just survival. It was a reminder.

The crowd responded in kind. Louis Armstrong Stadium, long a natural home for Monfils’ blend of theatre and shot-making, rose with him. When the job was done, the atmosphere shifted from raucous to almost tender. During his on-court interview, thousands broke into an impromptu rendition of “Happy Birthday,” wrapping one of the sport’s great entertainers in a chorus he will not easily forget.

“To play on my 40th birthday is very special,” said the 2016 US Open semi-finalist, who announced last year he will retire at the end of this season. The words were simple; the weight behind them was not. This is the last lap, and everyone in the building knew it.

He spoke of New York the way New York has long spoken of him. “The atmosphere [in New York] is always electric – I feel great here. I always try to play great tennis and put on a great show.” On this night, he managed both, leaning once more into the role that has defined him: competitor, yes, but also ringmaster.

Then he turned back to the stands, to the people who had just serenaded him and ridden every swing of momentum. “You guys rock – let’s keep it up for the second round,” he said, eyes already on the next act.

One more match. One more night. And, if New York has its way, a few more encores before the curtain finally falls.