Gael Monfils, whose recent title in Auckland made him the oldest player to win an ATP tour title, is into the fourth round at the Australian Open for the sixth time.
His best result in Melbourne is a quarterfinal appearance on two occasions – 2022 and 2016.
But the 38-year-old first took to the courts here back in 2004, winning the junior boys’ trophy before making the main draw the following year.
MORE: All the results from AO 2025
Other than 2008 and 2023, Monfils has played in every AO since – that’s 19 senior Australian Opens in all.
Loved for his extraordinary athleticism and sense of fun, the Frenchman is always a fan favourite at Grand Slams.
As he prepares to face American 22-year-old Ben Shelton on Monday, we take you through a pictorial history of Monfils at Melbourne Park.
2004 - AO boys' title
Monfils won the AO boys' title before going on that season to lift junior trophies in Paris and Wimbledon.
2005 - world No.219
In his first main draw appearance at a Grand Slam, Monfils was knocked out in the second round in straight sets by Belgium's Olivier Rochus.
2006 - world No.27
Monfils was defeated 6-4 7-5 6-1 in the first round by world No.81 Luis Horna of Peru.
2007 - world No.59
Monfils beat Italy's Daniele Bracciali and world No.11 Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus before falling in the third round to compatriot Richard Gasquet.
2009 - world No.13
In an impressive run, Monfils made it to the fourth round before having to retire in his match against fellow Frenchman Gilles Simon.
2010 - world No.12
Monfils beat home hope Matthew Ebden, followed by Antonio Veic before falling in four sets to the USA's John Isner.
2011 - world No.12
Following victories over Thiemo de Bakker of Netherlands, and then Portugal's Fred Gil, Monfils was beaten in straight sets in the third round by Switzerland's world No.19 Stan Wawrinka.
2012 - world No.15
Having beaten Australia's Marinko Matosevic and then Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil, Monfils was stopped by world No.92 Mikhail Kukushkin in five sets.
2013 - world No.86
Gilles Simon once again put an end to Monfils' campaign at Melbourne Park - this time in five sets in the third round.
2014 - world No.32
Monfils beat two Americans in the form of Ryan Harrison and Jack Sock before falling to world No.1 and eventual runner-up Rafael Nadal.
2015 - world No.19
In a second-round exit, it was Poland's Jerzy Janowicz who ended Monfils' title tilt in five sets, the Frenchman having beaten compatriot Lucas Pouille in the first round.
2016 - world No.25
Monfils' first run to the quarterfinals took him past players including compatriots Nicolas Mahut and Stephane Robert before he was stopped by Canada's world No.14 Milos Raonic in four sets.
2017 - world No.6
Monfils beat Jiri Vesely, Alexandr Dolgopolov and Philipp Kohlschreiber on his way to the fourth round. But it was Rafael Nadal once again who got the better of him.
2018 - world No.39
Monfils beat another Spaniard - Jaume Munar - in the first round but couldn't make it past the second, suffering a four-set defeat by Novak Djokovic.
2019 - world No.33
Another second-round exit for Monfils - this time at the hands of world No.50 Taylor Fritz.
2020 - world No.10
Dropping only one set - against Ivo Karlovic - on his way to the fourth round, Monfils was stopped by an in-form Dominic Thiem, who went on to take the runner-up trophy that year.
2021 - world No.11
Monfils suffered a surprise first-round exit at the hands of Finland's world No.86 Emil Ruusuvuori over five sets.
2022 - world No.20
Monfils made up for disappointment in 2021 with a second run to the quarterfinals, getting past players including Alexander Bublik and Cristian Garin before being stopped by Italian world No.7 Matteo Berrettini.
2024 - world No.76
Monfils beat German Yannick Hanfmann before falling to Tomas Martin Etcheverry in three sets.
2025 - world No.41
In the first round Monfils beat compatriot Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard - in a marathon five-set encounter. He then defeated Germany's Daniel Altmaier and No.4 seed Taylor Fritz to set up a fourth-round meeting with Ben Shelton.
