#4 Gael Monfils
Frenchman Gael Monfils is possibly one of the most unpredictable players tennis has ever seen. Known for his off-the-record tactics and amusing shots, Monfils has always entertained the fans in one way or another.
Monfils had a good start to the year, reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian where he lost to Milos Raonic. He later made it to the final of the Rotterdam which was followed by two quarter-final appearances at ATP Masters 1000 tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami before reaching the final at the Monte-Carlo Masters where he was beaten by Rafael Nadal.
Owing to a viral infection, Monfils withdrew from the French Open and later lost in the first round of Wimbledon to Jeremy Chardy. Monfils began his US Open Series very well by winning the Citi Open, thus ending a title drought that lasted two years.
Also Read: 10 best moments from the 2016 US Open
He followed this with a semi-finals appearance at the Rogers Cup where he upset Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic in the quarter-finals. He was defeated by eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals. He continued his consistent performances by reaching the quarter-finals at the Rio Olympics where he was beaten by eventual bronze medalist Kei Nishikori.
Monfils entered the US Open seeded 10th and reached his first Grand Slam semi-final since the 2008 French Open. Like the 2008 French Open, he once again lost to the eventual runner-up; this time Novak Djokovic in four sets.
As a result of his performances at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, Monfils rose up to No.8. Overall, Monfils has risen up 15 places in the rankings throughout the year. Truly, a remarkable comeback.
