“I’m getting a little bit old. People forget that I still have it” – This is what the 37-year-old French tennis star, Gael Monfils had said recently. Fans have seen a glimpse of his magic on the hard courts this year, but on the clay courts, it has been quite disastrous for the Frenchman so far. Can he turn the tables with the support of the Parisian crowd in the 2024 French Open? Well, he will be facing Brazil’s Thiago Seyboth Wild in his first-round match in just a few hours from now. Wild believes, “Tennis allows me to be myself and express myself on court.” Can he express himself to the fullest against the ‘Sliderman’?

Thiago Seyboth Wild will be entering this mega tournament after his second-round exit at the Lyon Open last week. He was forced to retire in that match due to an injury. Hope he’s now ready to roar against the French superstar. Gael Monfils withdrew his name from the ATP 250 event, so he was last seen in action at this year’s Italian Open.

Gael Monfils vs Thiago Seyboth Wild: Preview

Monfils faced defeat in his first match at the 2024 Italian Open at the hands of another Brazilian, Thiago Monteiro. The 29-year-old Brazilian defeated him comfortably by a 6-2,7-5 margin. Monfils hit three aces and committed three double faults. His first serve win percentage was 68% and his second serve win percentage was 64% in that match. However, he failed to convert even either of his two breakpoints against Monteiro.

Gael Monfils has hit a total of 188 aces this season and has committed 84 double faults. He has won 81% of his service games and just 20% of his return games. Monfils is an experienced campaigner. But it will be interesting to see if he can fully utilize his experience to do wonders for him on his home soil. Or will the age yet again hinder his long run into a bigger event?

Thiago Seyboth Wild was forced to retire in the R16 match against Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry at the Lyon Open. But in the R32 he looked quite impressive as he defeated Spain’s Pedro Martinez by 6-4,6-1. In that match, Wild hit six aces and committed just two double faults. His first-serve win percentage was 73% and on the second-serve, it was 59%. The Brazilian converted five of his seven breakpoints against the Spaniard.

Looking at his overall stats from this season, Thiago Seyboth Wild has fired 132 aces but committed 82 double faults. He has won 76% of his service games and just 21% of his return games this year so far. Gael Monfils has lost his last three matches on clay. Can Wild take this opportunity and bring in another upset in the French camp?

Monfils vs Wild: Head-to-Head

Although Gael Monfils has lost his last three matches on clay, he has won their previous encounter at the 2021 Lyon Open. In that R32 match, Monfils defeated Wild by 7-5,6-4. The Frenchman hit seven aces and committed three double faults in the entire match. The Brazilian tennis player hit only one ace in the match and also committed a single double fault. Monfils won 76% of his first serve and 60% of his second serve against Wild. On the other hand, Thiago Seyboth Wild won 68% of his first serve and 61% of his second serve against ‘La Monf‘. If we look at the breakpoints, Monfils converted just two out of his ten, while Wild failed to convert even a single of seven chances.

Prediction: Monfils to win this match

Gael Monfils currently has a win-loss record of 12-12 this season. On the other hand, Thiago Seyboth Wild has a record of 12-14, but is it the win-loss record that keeps the Frenchman ahead in this exciting contest? Well, not really! Gael Monfils will be backed by thousands of French supporters at the Philippe Chatrier on Monday (May 27). Can the 24-year-old Brazilian cope with this immense pressure and come out of this match with flying colors? This looks a bit tough as of now!

Monfils reached the SF of the French Open in 2008, whereas Wild reached the third round last year. Thiago Seyboth Wild is one of the sweetest strikers of the tennis ball on the tour and he has a good forehand. But Gael Monfils is built differently! He is basically a baseliner who heavily relies on his accurate placements and consistencies in the game. ‘Sliderman‘ is also known for his athleticism and can quickly jump from defense to offense during the match. If we look at their overall playing style and experience on the bigger stages, then it’s always going to be Gael Monfils without a doubt!