By Chris Oddo | @Thefanchild | Friday May 30, 2025
Paris – Gael monfils learned the hard way just how much improvements Jack draper has done in his game.
The 38-year-old Frenchman threw everything he had in the draper at a night session in Epic Paris on Thursday, and could get a group from the 23-year-old threat.
After the match, Monfils said he has a tremendous respect for the Draper game.
“I love this player,” said Monfils. “I love the way he plays because he plays a very fast back. When Jack was young, he really had the best.
But he has advanced a lot to his advantage now. Now he really really produces pure power with his foreword, and he manages to truly roll the ball along the line. He is a leftist holder that goes very quickly along the line. This is not common, and it moves really well in court. “
Monfils says that besides the preface, the draper is turning better.
“Where he really progressed is that he really turns out really well,” he said. “He is far from the beginning, and the ball is always at the right speed, the right course and he has made tremendous progress in this regard.
“So a jack who is feeling very confident like this is very difficult to maneuver.”
This is what our sport is about.
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– ATP Tour (@atptour) 29 May 2025
At a physical meeting in the slow clay at night conditions, Draper stood the course and treated monfils and the strict Parisian crowd. It was more proof that the fifth rank Britain is ready for the first time.
“Point point was difficult,” Montfils said. “There is no easy point. He really is turning the balls very well. He really played his game well. Honestly, I couldn’t do a lot. I played my foreword down the line. She went out. And he played well after that.”
Not the end result that Monfils wanted, but whoever watched the match knows that Monfils has nothing to hang their heads. Playing so at the age of 38? Against a power at its peak 15 years of its new? Chapeau, Lamonf.
In TNT Chris Eubanks called the second group one of the best tennis groups he had ever seen.
“A great night. A great match,” Montfils said. “Above all, I was happy because of course he is feeling very confident, but I managed to know, you know, teasing him a little.”
