Gael Monfils captured his first title in almost two years with an assured victory over Karen Khachanov on Sunday in Adelaide.
In a battle between the tournament’s top two seeds, No.1 Monfils out-steadied his Russian opponent 6-4 6-4 in under 90 minutes on Centre Court.
It capped a magnificent week for Monfils at Memorial Drive Tennis Centre; he won all four of his matches without dropping a set.
The win over Khachanov delivered him an 11th career title, and first since he won in Rotterdam in February 2020.
“I think I played very solid all these matches, was moving well. For me it’s a key, always to move good, then I can be more aggressive, use more my forehand, use more my serve,” Monfils said.
“I have this big confidence of my movement, and I had it, so I was pleased with that.”
The victory in Adelaide was especially sweet given how open Monfils had been regarding his struggles competing professionally in the Covid era, and how a lack of fan attendance had significantly impacted on his joy for the sport.
After a forgettable first half of 2021 when he won just three of 10 matches, things began to take a turn for the better as the rest of the season unfolded.
He has now won 20 of his past 28 matches.
“Like mid, end of the year, felt much better, playing much better. Fans are back. Everything was moving in a better way,” Monfils explained.
“It was just me to find a little bit my confidence back and to try to play week after week. It’s what I did. Then I have a crack on one week.
“Obviously lucky enough to win this one this week.”
Despite practising together ahead of this ATP 250 event, Monfils and Khachanov – both former top-10 players – had never before gone head-to-head on tour.
Gael Monfils (L) defeated Karen Khachanov (R) to win the Adelaide International title. (Getty Images)
Serving second, Khachnov was always playing a game of catch-up, and the pressure grew too great when Monfils earned a pair of set points in the 10th game when ahead 4-5.
Khachanov saved both of those, but fired a forehand long on Monfils’ third set point – his 15th unforced error of the set, more than twice his number of winners.
At the other end of the court, Monfils served brilliantly, clicking through his service games rapidly.
He pounded a 222km/h bomb on his way to holding for a 5-4 lead in the second set.
And it was at exactly the same point of this stanza – with Khachanov serving in the 10th game – that the second seed faltered again.
A forehand error saw him fall behind 15-40, and although he saved Monfils’ first championship point with bold hitting, he could not erase the second.
Monfils celebrated as Khachanov sent a final forehand out, having earned his first tournament title in Australia.
The 35-year-old will seek to extend his winning streak when he remains in the South Australian capital to contest next week’s Adelaide International #2.
“I know the thing is always to keep the momentum, keep all this confidence that you have,” Monfils said.
“The goal is to keep all this confidence to bring into next week… to be ready to try to compete for big AO.”
In the men’s doubles final earlier on Sunday, Indian duo Rohan Bopanna and Ramkumar Ramanathan upset No.1 seeds Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo 7-6(6) 6-1.
Rohan Bopanna (L) and Ramkumar Ramanathan won the Adelaide International doubles title. (Getty Images)