Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA
Gael Monfils vs Diego Schwartzman: US Open – First round
Two of the oldest players on tour, Gael Monfils and Diego Schwartzman will face each other in the first round of the US Open.
Gael Monfils Profile
Former world No. 6 Gael Monfils is currently 45th in the ATP rankings. The Frenchman is 20-18 for the season and 11-8 on hard surface.
Monfils is coming off a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 loss to Holger Rune in the round of 16 in Cincinnati. Previously in the tournament, he defeated Carlos Alcaraz and Alexei Popyrin.
Monfils reached two semifinals this season in Mallorca and Doha.
He made his debut at the US Open in 2005 and his best result came in 2016 when he reached the semifinals but lost to Novak Djokovic in four sets.
Diego Schwartzman Profile
Former World No. 8 Diego Schwartzman is currently 244th in the rankings. The veteran is 11-17 for the season and 6-6 on hard surface.
Schwartzman went through the qualifiers to reach the main draw as he defeated Vilius Gaubas, Thiago Augustin Tirante and Andrea Pellegerino.
Schwartzman has yet to pass the first round of the main draw at any tournament this season.
He made his debut at the US Open in 2013 and his best result was reaching the quarterfinals in 2017 and 2019.
Head-to-Head Schwartzman leads 3-2
- Schwartzman vs Monfils 7-6, 4-6, 6-2 (2021 ATP Vienna, round of 16)
- Schwartzman vs Monfils 6-3, 6-2 (2019 ATP Vienna, semifinal)
- Monfils vs Schwartzman 6-3, 6-4 (2018 ATP Antwerp, semifinal)
- Schwartzman vs Monfils 6-3, 6-4 (2018 ATP Rio de Janeiro, quarterfinal)
- Monfils vs Schwartzman 4-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 (2015 French Open, second round)
Prediction and Conclusion
Diego Schwartzman is playing his last Grand Slam tournament since he already announced his retirement at the end of the season, and this may be his last match on the big stage. Monfils is another veteran who is considering retirement, but he is in much better form than the Argentinian. Monfils defeated Carlos Alcaraz last week in Cincinnati and will cruise past Schwartzman to reach the second round in New York by covering the -5.5-game spread.
