US Open news - Gael Monfils storms past Pablo Andujar to reach quarters

Monfils fired 34 winners and will now face Matteo Berrettini, who was a straight-sets winner earlier in the day against Andrey Rublev.

“I felt good,” Monfils said during the post-match interview. “I hit the ball very hard. I served good.”

“It’s going to be big one,” Monfils said of facing Berrettini. “He played good this year, won two tournaments already. He’s a big striker, has a huge serve. I expect a big match.”

Should he get past Berrettini, Monfils could potentially face Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals, a man he has not defeated in 10 years.

The No 13 seed - who turned 33 on Sunday - impressed the crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium, reeling off 10 straight points on his way to winning five games in a row to close out the first set in just 20 minutes.

The Frenchman trailed 2-1 in the second set, but relentless big serves forced Andujar on the back foot, and he was eventually broken in the fifth game.

The Spaniard appeared to have escaped a break point when he sent a lob over Monfils, who had come to the net, but the Frenchman scampered back and hit a backhand cross-court winner.

Monfils captured the second set three games later, and he then broke at love to start the third set, as his opponent began to accept his fate.

Andujar produced the shot of the match at 4-1 down in the final set, but it only delayed the inevitable as Monfils - who didn’t face a single break point - completed the win in one hour and 26 minutes.