- Hall of Fame Announces Initiatives for Black History Month, Featuring Althea Gibson
- Roland Garros Unveils 2023 Official Poster Art
- 2023 Australian Open Sets Grand Slam Attendance Record
- Djokovic on track to play U.S. Open, but out of Indian Wells and Miami
- Emma Raducanu Joins Austin Field
- Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer Congratulate Novak Djokovic on 10th Australian Open Title
- Post-Australian Open ATP rankings: Djokovic back to No. 1, Paul and Shelton make major moves
- Novak Djokovic Tops Stefanos Tsitsipas for 10th Australian Open Title, 22nd Grand Slam
- Noah Rubin’s “Behind The Racquet” with Marion Bartoli • Tennis | 10sBalls
- Aryna Sabalenka Edges Elena Rybakina in Dramatic Australian Open Final
- Ricky’s preview and pick for the Australian Open final: Djokovic vs. Tsitsipas
- Djokovic, Tsitsipas set up showdown for No. 1 in Australian Open final
- David Nainkin to Serve as Interim Captain for U.S. Davis Cup Team’s Qualifying tie vs. Uzbekistan
- Stefanos Tsitsipas Tops Karen Khachanov For First Australian Open Final
- Australian Open Draws and Schedule for January 28, 2023
French Tennis Sensation Gael Monfils Stops Rublev In Doha 2018 Final
- Updated: January 6, 2018

Gael Monfils of France celebrates winning the final match against Russia’s Andrey Rublev at the ATP Qatar Open Tennis tournament at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex in Doha, Qatar, 06 January 2018. EPA-EFE/NOUSHAD THEKKAYIL
Gael Monfils delivered comeback joy to the desert.
Monfils slashed nine aces and did not drop serve dismissing Andrey Rublev, 6-2, 6-3, in 61 minutes to capture the Doha title in his fourth Qatar Exxon Mobil Open final.
It is Monfils’ seventh career championship and comes in the first tournament of his comeback.
Monfils suffered a season-ending knee injury at the 2017 US Open closing the curtain on an injury-plagued season that saw him miss six Masters events due to injury and advance to his first career grass-court final in Eastbourne.
Playing clean tennis in today’s final, the 31-year-old Frenchman stretched the court shrewdly and drilled 29 winners against just 10 unforced errors.
It was Monfils’ first ATP title since he won the 2016 Washington, DC championship.
“I’m very happy,” said Monfils, who has won six of his seven titles on hard courts. “I like this tournament so much. I always come back and I finally got it. So I’m just very happy and very proud.
“It’s been a while. I was waiting for that moment to get back in shape. In 2016, I was almost on my top and I had a very good year, finishing at No. 6. I couldn’t really defend my chances in 2017. I had a long rest and came back strong in 2018, which was a goal. I wouldn’t say I was expecting to win the first tournament, but I’m more than happy that I did.”
A three-time Doha runner-up, Monfils fell to Roger Federer in the 2006 final, bowed to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the 2012 title match and lost to Rafael Nadal in the 2014 championship match.
The world No. 46 set the tone for a dynamic serving day opening the final with an ace.
The 20-year-old Rublev, who was coming off a 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (2) semifinal victory over Guido Pella, was not as sharp as Monfils in longer baseline exchanges.

Russia’s Andrey Rublev (L) poses with the runners-up trophy after losing the final against Gael Monfils of France at the ATP Qatar Open Tennis tournament at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex in Doha, Qatar, 06 January 2018. EPA-EFE/NOUSHAD THEKKAYIL
“I think he’s young, he’s coming, he’s gonna be very strong,” Monfils said of Rublev. “He had a very strong year last year. You can see already that he can beat the top players. For sure he’s gonna be definitely in other finals.”
Monfils broke for 3-1 then prevailed in a lengthy rally seizing the 40-minute opening set.
Starting the second set with a service break, Monfils served 65 percent and permitted just eight points on his first serve.
Monfils cranked a service winner closing a tidy one-hour title trip.
The 2016 Australian Open quarterfinalist could be a dangerous floater for Melbourne, which begins on January 15th, and realizes he could draw a high seed early.
“I think I can expect a tough first round, but I think I will be well prepared to have a great tournament there,” Monfils said of the Australian Open.