Brisbane International 2025: 20-0 for Novak Djokovic as incredible Head to Head over Gael Monfils continues
ATP
Gael Monfils' unwanted record of the worst modern day Head to Head record against Novak Djokovic continues as it reached 20-0 on Thursday morning at the Brisbane International 6-3, 6-3.
Djokovic who saw off Rinky Hijikata in his opening round now adds Monfils to his wins to start the 2025 season and is now into the Quarter-Finals. Awaiting there is big serving American, Reilly Opelka.
If Djokovic reaches his first semi-final of the season, it could be two break neck serving players in a row in Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard who took out Frances Tiafoe earlier today. Or it will be rising Czech talent, Jakub Mensik.
Either way it will be the first real tests of the tournament for the 24-time Grand Slam champion who in Monfils got a draw that suits him down to a tee. He is getting important wins in though whatever happens in what is currently a confidence boosting start to the new year.
The writing was on the wall that it wouldn't be 19-1 from the start as Djokovic broke to go 3-1 up in the opening set consolidating for a 4-1 and 5-2 lead before finally sealing the opening set to surge into the lead.
It was kind of the same in the second as both were breezing through their serves quite simply but Djokovic found moments to exert pressure and he broke emphatically to love to make it 2-1. He then broke again to seal the win 6-3.
There has yet to be the real banana skin moment for Djokovic which he had a lot in 2024 where a player would push him to produce his best often or even in the case of Luca Nardi and Alexei Popyrin beat him, but with Opelka and maybe Mpetshi Perricard he likely gets that in abundance with the cracking serve of either likely to pose him the biggest test.
Novak Djokovic's dream return to Brisbane continues as he secures his place in the quarter-final with a straight-set victory against Gael Monfils! 🇦🇺💫#BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/9mGWsy0ItU
— Eurosport (@eurosport) January 2, 2025
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