Gael Monfils missed all six break points in the opening set, then won the next three sets. His 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 victory over Adolfo Vallejo in the 2026 US Open first round came on his 40th birthday.
He lost serve in the opening set’s third and fifth games. Those six missed return chances left him a set down, but he conceded only three games across the remaining three sets.
The closed roof on Louis Armstrong Stadium allowed his evening match to begin as scheduled while rain disrupted other courts. He completed the win in two hours and 22 minutes.
The French Tennis Federation’s September 2 report counted this as his 34th US Open victory, a record for a French man. The wildcard’s next opponent was Learner Tien, then aged 20.
