The 2025 Australian Open has turned into a playground for underdogs, with several top seeds crashing out early. The tournament’s first and second rounds alone have seen some jaw-dropping upsets. Ninth seed Andrey Rublev was stunned by 18-year-old Joao Fonseca, while 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas fell to rising American Alex Michelsen. Former finalist and fifth seed Daniil Medvedev battled valiantly in a five-set thriller but was ultimately defeated by newcomer Learner Tien. Joining this list of high-profile exits is fourth seed Taylor Fritz.

The World No.4 Taylor Fritz’s campaign ended at the hands of 38-year-old French veteran Gael Monfils in a thrilling four-set match. Monfils rolled back the years to deliver a vintage performance, defeating Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(1), 6-4. The Frenchman’s mix of off-pace shots and sudden injections of power left Fritz scrambling for answers.

The French tennis player compiled an impressive 58 winners to just 34 unforced errors, lost only one service game. The result ended a 12-match losing streak for Monfils against top-five players at Grand Slam tournaments. His win made history, as he became the second-oldest man to reach the Australian Open fourth round in the Open Era, after Roger Federer.

“It was an unbelievable match,” said Monfils. “I felt like I could move great today and the game plan was to hold my baseline. I’ve done the job. I’ve been fortunate but every day is different. We work hard. I try to be very disciplined with the recovery, I have a strong belief in myself and a strong belief that I can still do some damage. Here we are in the second week of the Australian Open.”

This upset came as a shock to many fans who took to social media to express their opinions about the match!

Fans react to Taylor Fritz’s surprising R3 defeat

Fans on X didn’t hold back in reacting to Fritz’s surprising loss. One user wrote, “Too flat and tentative from Taylor Fritz against a very talented and full of fight Gael Monfils. It’s like he was shocked the old guy could run down all his balls and forgot to play his own game.” Another chimed in, “Taylor Fritz just gave up, zero effort on 4th set half volleys. Sad.”

Fritz’s inability to adapt in critical moments has been a recurring issue in his Grand Slam career. At the 2024 US Open final, he carried the hopes of ending the United States’ 21-year Grand Slam singles drought but fell to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5. His usually dominant serve faltered with a 38% first-serve percentage in the first set, and his lack of net approaches—averaging just six per set—exposed a key weakness in his game.

Another fan took aim at this very flaw, commenting, “Taylor Fritz will never be a consistent threat at the Grand Slams without a decent net game.” A harsh critic added, “Tonight was flat-out embarrassing from Taylor Fritz. Not because he lost, but because in this loss he was outsmarted at every turn, made zero adjustments and just complained to his box that he couldn’t hit through Gael.”

The American tennis star’s journey to solidify himself as a Grand Slam contender has been a rollercoaster. Despite the setbacks, 2024 was a significant year for him. He reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open, defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in a memorable fourth-round match. His run ended in the quarterfinals, where Novak Djokovic proved too strong. Fritz also reached the ATP Finals but was again stopped by Jannik Sinner, who had become his nemesis throughout the season.

However, the year wasn’t all struggles. The 27-year-old tennis player started 2024 with a bang, leading Team USA to victory in the United Cup. It was a bright start to a season filled with promise, even if it ultimately fell short of the highest expectations.

From being hailed as a rising star to facing criticism for his weaknesses, Taylor Fritz continues to grapple with the pressure of delivering on the biggest stages. Can he find the answers needed to consistently challenge for Grand Slam glory?