Emotional Gael Monfils breaks down in tears, falls to the ground in joy after French Open 1R win

Former World No. 6 Gael Monfils could not contain his emotions following his win in the opening round of the 2023 French Open.

Making his first appearance at the claycourt Major in two years, Monfils took on Sebastian Baez in the first round and exhibited sheer resilience and an unyielding spirit to clinch a hard-fought victory over his opponent in an epic five-set encounter.

Overwhelmed by the magnitude of his achievement, the 36-year-old shed tears of joy after shaking hands with his opponent and the umpire, symbolizing the end of his three-match losing streak and fueling his determination to succeed in front of his home crowd.

Monfils and his partner Elina Svitolina recently became proud parents to a baby daughter name Skai. The Ukranian Svitolina also secured her place in the second round with a remarkable straight sets win over Martina Trevisan.

The 36-year-old spoke about thought process during the match and how he found extra motivation to win, especially for his daughter. He hadn't registered a single win on the main tour since returning to the 2023 Indian Wells Masters in March.

"The truth is that at 4-0 down in the fifth set I was like 'I haven't won a match since I've become a dad. My daughter is in Paris... I told myself 'You gotta win it for her," he said in a post match interview.

The Frenchman also credited the fans for the atmosphere they created at the Court Philippe-Chatrier.

"It was an unbelievable atmosphere as well. Of course this one is another flavor. I'm older, and even less chances, let's say, to win this match today. It was a great atmosphere tonight, I guess for some spectators as well. I know I have some friends for the first time they came to Roland Garros. So I think it was a good experience for them," Gael Monfils added.

Gael Monfils to square off against Holger Rune in the second round of the French Open

2023 French Open - Day Three Gael Monfils

Gael Monfils will square off against World No. 6 Holger Rune in the second round of the 2023 French Open on Thursday. The duo have never faced each other on the main tour and their head-to-head is locked at 0-0.

Danish tennis sensation Rune is one of the most in-form players on the men's tour at the moment. He'll be entering the contest on the back of a hard fought win over Christopher Eubanks in the first round, outfoxing the American in four sets 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-2.

Monfils, fueled by his recent triumph and emotional journey as a new father, will bring his seasoned experience and crowd-pleasing style to the court. On the other hand, Rune, the rising Danish star, has already been making waves on the men's tour with his impressive skills and winning form.

With both players seeking to advance, tennis fans can expect an electrifying battle between experience and emerging talent on the clay courts of Roland Garros. The winner of this match will square off against Genaro Alberto Olivieri or Andrea Vavassori in the third round.