French tennis veteran Gael Monfils celebrated his 40th birthday on Tuesday by defeating Paraguay’s Adolfo Daniel Vallejo 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 at the US Open in New York, becoming the oldest man to win a main-draw singles match at Flushing Meadows since Jimmy Connors in 1992.
Turning Back the Clock on Louis Armstrong Stadium
Most people celebrate their 40th birthday with a slap-up meal or a surprise party. Gael Monfils, the maverick Frenchman who always knows how to have fun on the court, marked his milestone by winning a Grand Slam match at the US Open. A day after fellow veteran Stan Wawrinka played the final Grand Slam match of his career, Monfils showed he was not ready to follow him out the door yet, drawing huge applause from fans on Louis Armstrong Stadium as he fought back from a slow start.
The milestone victory places Monfils in elite historical company at the tournament. The former world number six is the oldest man to win a US Open main-draw match since Jimmy Connors – who also won on his 40th birthday in 1992. Connors had defeated Jaime Oncins on Sept. 2, 1992, when he turned 40. The triumph also keeps his farewell Grand Slam campaign alive, extending a career that includes his 18th appearance at the US Open and a memorable run to the tournament’s semi-finals in 2016, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.
Showmanship and the New York Crowd
Known across the tour for his flair and athletic acrobatics, Monfils delivered trademark moments of entertainment. Playing on his 40th birthday, Monfils opened shakily against Adolfo Daniel Vallejo of Paraguay, but decisively turned the tables after the first set for a 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 win. Monfils, who will retire after this season, played with his trademark showmanship, offering exaggerated bows after embellishing a putaway shot in the fourth set with a leap in the air.
When the match concluded, the celebration spilled directly into the post-match interview. The New York crowd made the occasion even more memorable for Monfils by bursting into an impromptu rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ during his post-victory interview. There was no cake on court, but Monfils received a rendition of Happy Birthday midway through his speech.
The 2016 US Open semi-finalist, who announced last year he will retire at the end of this season, stated that playing on his 40th birthday was very special, adding that the atmosphere in New York was always electric, that he felt great there, and that he always tried to play great tennis and put on a great show.
Addressing the thousands of fans who created a celebratory atmosphere on Louis Armstrong Stadium, he added that they were fantastic and that they should keep it up for the second round. He also noted in an on-court interview: You guys always make it electric, amazing. Let’s keep it going for the second one.
A Storied Farewell Campaign in New York
Monfils, who reached a career peak ranking of sixth in 2016, is down to 311th, having only played a handful of tournaments in 2026. Making the most of a US Open wild card, he stood in the middle of the court and bowed to the crowd that was treating the Frenchman to a roaring ovation on his 40th birthday. In contrast to Monfils, who is playing in his 70th Grand Slam tournament, Tuesday marked just the third of the 22-year-old Vallejo.
The veteran has already signaled that he will retire at the end of this year and is making a few more memories along the way at the tournament where he reached the 2016 semifinals. He began the event by teaming up with his wife, Elina Svitolina, to reach the mixed doubles semifinals in their first time competing together. Then, before the singles play began, he looked ahead toward his looming birthday. Monfils remarked that he would reach his 40th birthday the day he played, noting that it was a big milestone for him to be able to play at 40.
Looking Ahead to the Second Round
Having cleared his first hurdle, Monfils produced an erratic display to drop the first set but roared back in the second to level the match. He dominated the third set and fired a crosscourt forehand winner to clinch it, as fans rose to their feet in anticipation of yet another electrifying win from the former world No 6.
The French showman will now face American Learner Tien, giving the 40-year-old entertainer another opportunity to test his enduring legs in the second round at Flushing Meadows.
