Australian Open: Gael Monfils retires, paving way for Ben Shelton to enter quarterfinals

The golden run of Gael Monfils at the 2025 Australian Open came to an end in the fourth round. The French ace faced Ben Shelton as the duo vied for a quarter-final spot in the Grand Slam. However, unlike his compatriot, the higher-ranked Taylor Fritz, Shelton held his own against the seasoned Monfils. At 38, Monfils became the oldest player to reach the fourth round in Melbourne following his 3-6, 7-5, 7-6, 6-4 victory over the fourth-seeded American Fritz. However, his bid to become the oldest player with a Grand Slam victory ended after he retired midway through his clash against Shelton. Prior to the walkover, Shelton had won two sets despite a strong challenge from the 38-year-old Frenchman.

Gael Monfils succumbs in the fourth-round contest at the Australian Open

Gael Monfils reached the fourth round after gritty victories against compatriot Giovanni Mpteshi Perricard, Daniel Altmaier, and Taylor Fritz. The French ace kicked off the 2025 season by becoming the oldest player to win an ATP singles title when he claimed the ASB Classic in Auckland. Monfils maintained his form as he took the court in Melbourne. With 20 years of experience on the tour, Monfils seemed to be defying his age as he outplayed the younger generation. His victory against Fritz was an upset, with the American ranked fourth in the ATP rankings. However, age eventually caught up with him as he ended his streak of eight wins at the Margaret Court Arena against Ben Shelton.

While the clash ended with a walkover, Shelton's aggressive strokeplay headlined the contest. Aiming to disrupt Monfils’ uninterrupted charge, the 22-year-old American put together a physically demanding challenge for the French player. His tactics paid off when Monfils' movement began to lag around the third set. The three sets read 7-6, 6-7, and 7-6 in favor of Shelton, each lasting over an hour. The match concluded when the 38-year-old pulled out of the contest with the fourth set standing at 1-0 in Shelton’s favor. The American hit 51 winners against the in-form Monfils, who is 16 years his senior.

“Obviously, he’s played a lot of long matches, so I wanted to make it as physical as possible,” Shelton said following his victory. “There are a lot of things he does unbelievably well, counter-punching, making you feel uncomfortable on the court, getting to the net. So, finding the right balance was tricky because he was serving so well."

“Gael is someone I’ve watched since I was a little kid. I always say he has the greatest highlight tape of all time, and you saw some of that tonight. At 38 years old, I hope I’m still walking without crutches,” he added.

Ben Shelton faces Lorenzo Sonego in the Australian Open quarter-final

With this victory, Ben Shelton will reach his second quarter-final at the Australian Open after advancing to this stage on his debut in 2023. The American will face Lorenzo Sonego in the last-eight clash on Tuesday. Sonego earned his spot in the quarter-finals after defeating Learner Tien in the fourth round. Tien had a breakthrough run at the 2025 Australian Open, defeating fifth-seeded Daniil Medvedev in the second round. His run made history when he advanced to the fourth round, becoming the youngest player to do so since Rafael Nadal in 2005.

However, Tien fell short against Lorenzo Sonego in their Round of 16 clash on Monday at the John Cain Arena. The 29-year-old Italian reached the fourth round with notable victories against Stan Wawrinka, Joao Fonsesca, and Fabian Marozsan. In the clash against the young rising star of the season, Sonego relied heavily on his first serve points. However, it was Tien's right thigh injury that influenced the outcome of the match. Tien's bid to become the youngest player to reach the quarter-finals in Melbourne since Goran Ivanisevic in 1989 ended when Sonego won 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. Despite the win, the more experienced Italian reflected on his victory, calling the match against Tien “emotional.”

"Unbelievable. It’s pretty emotional, today was tough," said Sonego. "So sad because he had some problems. It’s not the right way to win, but I’m so happy to reach the quarter-finals," he added.