Monfils Loses Australian Open Farewell in First-Round Upset

Gael Monfils, the 39-year-old French tennis veteran, suffered a first-round defeat at the Australian Open on Tuesday, marking the end of his storied tenure at the Melbourne tournament. The 13-time ATP Tour champion fell to Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-4, 7-5 in a grueling four-set match that lasted nearly four hours on Kia Arena.

Monfils, who announced in October 2025 that the 2026 season would be his last on the professional circuit, entered the event as a crowd favorite during his farewell tour. Ranked 110th in the world, he started strongly by capturing the first set after a competitive tiebreaker. Sweeny, the 24-year-old world No. 182 making his Grand Slam main-draw debut, leveled the match by breaking Monfils in the second set amid a raucous atmosphere fueled by local supporters waving inflatable kangaroos and chanting for the home player.

The Frenchman, appearing physically taxed under the Melbourne sunshine, frequently paused between points, leaning on his racket for support and holding his left knee. He consulted a trainer after the second set but pressed on, only to drop the third. Monfils mounted a late resurgence in the fourth, breaking Sweeny to...