Day Five of French Open: Comebacks and Upsets Captivate Fans

PARIS, France — Day five of the French Open showcased thrilling matches along with surprising upsets as players battled through the second round at Roland Garros on Thursday.

Jack Draper, the fifth seed, rallied to defeat French veteran Gaël Monfils 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a captivating match that concluded the day’s play in front of about 15,000 fans on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Draper’s victory was notable as he fought back against the crowd-favorite Monfils, 38, who displayed his signature flair and talent throughout the match. Draper responded to the challenge with a strategic game, ultimately securing his spot in the third round against Portuguese player Joao Fonseca.

“It was a tough match against a great player,” Draper said post-match. “I had to dig deep and just focus on my game. The crowd was intense, and Monfils is always a tough opponent, especially here.”

Meanwhile, young American star Coco Gauff, seeded second, advanced easily past Tereza Valentová with a score of 6-2, 6-4. Gauff, 19, continues to demonstrate her strength as she aims for her first Grand Slam title.

Added Gauff, “I tried to stay calm and focus on my game. It’s always tough against a young player who has the crowd behind her.”

Other notable early-round victories included Jessica Pegula (3) defeating Ann Li 6-3, 7-6(3) and Madison Keys (7) overcoming Katie Boulter 6-1, 6-3.

The chaos wasn’t limited to the women’s events. In men’s singles, Alexander Bublik staged a remarkable comeback from two sets down to defeat Alex de Minaur, the ninth seed, winning 2-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.

Bublik, known for his unpredictable playing style, admitted that he was already considering his exit from the tournament when he fell behind. “I was not really focused on winning that match at the start. But then I just started playing and the points started going my way,” he noted.

Portugal made history with two of its players reaching the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time, as Nuno Borges won his match earlier in the week while Henrique Rocha triumphed over Jakub Menšík, who has struggled in recent Grand Slams despite having a two-set lead.

“We have a strong group here. The support from our federation has really helped,” Rocha said.

Fans will look forward to more thrilling matchups and unexpected twists as the tournament progresses into its next rounds.