Before each day’s play in Melbourne, we’ll preview three must-see matches.
Taylor Fritz vs. Gael Monfils
As a Top 4 seed and someone who has become a regular in Grand Slam second weeks, Fritz may have believed he wouldn’t have too much to worry about in the early going in Australia. Now, it seems, he does. At 38, Monfils is playing inspired tennis. He won a title last week in Auckland, and survived five sets with the much-younger Frenchman, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. A confident and focused Monfils remains a danger to just about anyone.
Fritz has obviously seen plenty of him, but he hasn’t gone up against him in six years. Monfils won their only previous contest, in four close sets, at this tournament in 2019. If anything, though, Fritz has looked even better than La Monf so far in 2025. He helped the U.S. to a win in United Cup, and has dropped just eight games in two matches at the AO.
“I’m super happy with how I played through my first two rounds,” Fritz says.
Fritz has gradually been going deeper at the majors for the past two years, and the confidence has has gained seems embedded in him now. Monfils won’t make it easy: He’ll have the crowd, and he’ll do things on the court that the American won’t be able to counter. But from his serve to his ground strokes to his calm in the clutch, Fritz is a formidable force in best-of-five these days, even against a fan favorite on a hot streak. Winner: Fritz
