"Gael Monfils is who many of you think Nick Kyrgios is" - Tennis fans ecstatic after Frenchman scores 1st victory of comeback in French Open 1R

Tennis fans worldwide were overjoyed when Gael Monfils emerged victorious in his first comeback match at the French Open against Argentine tennis player Sebastian Baez.

On Tuesday, May 30, Monfils orchestrated an impressive comeback in his first-round match at Roland Garros against Baez. Despite being down 0-4 and facing a 30/40 deficit in the fifth set, Monfils rallied to secure a hard-fought victory with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 7-5 in three hours and 47 minutes. The match was a tough battle that lasted until midnight.

Monfils was out of the game since suffering a heel injury during the 2022 Montreal Masters in August. After a hiatus of almost seven months from the sport, he made his comeback at the 2023 Indian Wells Open, where he entered via a protected ranking.

The Frenchman entered the 2023 French Open main draw via a protected ranking.

Since his comeback, Monfils' performance on the court has been underwhelming. However, his match against Baez has delighted fans worldwide. Fans took to social media and heaped praise for Monfils' impressive performance and they expressed their happiness about the match.

A fan took to Twitter and remarked that Gael Monfils' first-round match at the French Open was equally as captivating as a match featuring Nick Kyrgios.

"Gael Monfils is who many of you think Nick Kyrgios is 😌," the fan tweeted.

Another fan expressed that the absence of Monfils was sorely felt in the game and they also emphasized that the 36-year-old is "one of a kind".

"Tennis missed Monfils in the worst way possible. Please tennis gods, keep this man healthy. He’s box office and one of a kind," the fan wrote.

Here are a few more reactions from fans:

"It was unbelievable atmosphere" - Gael Monfils after his 1R win at French Open 2023

Gael Monfils at the 2023 French Open

During the post-match press conference, Gael Monfils stated that the victory was among his top two performances.

The Frenchman went on to add that he was thrilled to witness the electrifying atmosphere and the crowd's enthusiastic cheers.

"It's definitely in like [my] top two [matches]. I had the same one almost kind of some years ago against [Pablo] Cuevas on [Court Suzanne] Lenglen. It was unbelievable atmosphere as well," Monfils said. "I'm older, and even less chances, let's say, to win this match today. It was [a] great atmosphere tonight, I guess for some spectators as well."

The former World No. 6 explained that he experienced cramping towards the end of the match. However, the resounding cheers from the crowd provided him with the necessary motivation to persevere and secure a victory.

"I was cramping at the end, a lot of [it was] with the nerves, and of course I'm tired, but a big part of [it was] the nerves," Monfils said. "I'm playing full [of] adrenaline, like honestly, I asked the crowd to scream, and somehow I juiced up. I know at one hand I will pay, I will pay, and I had to hold it at the end."

Gael Monfils will next face Holger Rune in the second round on Thursday, June 1.