Gael Monfils survived a marathon match last night, coming from two sets down to win his French Open first-round match.
His opponent, Hugo Dellien, battled well, and was good value for his healthy lead.
However, you can never rule out a Frenchman on Philippe Chatrier, not least the 38-year-old who is a true cult hero of the sport.
An ageless performance, we have become far too accustomed to this magician defying time, time and time again.
He has been rewarded for his heroic efforts with another piece of history too.
Gael Monfils makes history at the French Open
Monfils may not have ever won a Masters 1000 event, or even reached the final of a Grand Slam, but he has been ever-present on the tour for nearly two decades now.
That alone is a testament to the talent and work rate he boasts.
And, it is these two traits, alongside an unwavering determination, that has helped him break this latest record.
In coming from two sets down to win another five-set match, Monfils actually surpassed both Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka for the most five-set wins at a Grand Slam.
Given the former in particular has 24 major titles to his name, overtaking him in particular really reinforces the notion that this Frenchman is a hero of the tennis community, and not someone to be ignored due to his lack of elite honours.
In doing so, he sets up a second-round clash with Jack Draper.
Gael Monfils vs Jack Draper head-to-head record
Henman has told Draper how to trouble Monfils in that upcoming game, but it’s expected that Draper should not need his help.
After all, he will head into the clash as the hot favourite, not only given his form and the fact he is ranked fifth in the world, but also because of the energy that the 38-year-old will have just expended.
His match lasted over three and a half hours, and only finished after midnight. That is certain to take a physical toll on the Frenchman.
However, neither has very much to go on when delving back through their previous matches, given they have only faced each other once before.
Draper came out on top in that match back in 2022, but only due to a Monfils retirement after losing the first set.
The hope is that the 23-year-old can use his remarkable form and superior physicality to overpower the hometown favourite and reach the third round of the French Open.
