The first week of the AO was filled with thrills and spills on the men’s side. Here are the five most exciting matches from the top half of the men’s draw, featuring Gael Monfils, Lleyton Hewitt, and more!

5) R1:  Vasek Pospisil d. Sam Querrey 6-3 6-7(5) 2-6 6-4 6-4

This was a huge letdown for Querrey, who went up two sets to one and then promptly lost the plot twice in two sets to lose the match. Pospisil broke him twice at 4-5 in the fourth and fifth sets to take a match that was generally full of service holds. Both players won over 70% of their first-serve points and were over 65% in net point conversions. Querrey went just three for 14 on break points in the match and generated zero break point chances over the last two sets. By comparison, Pospisil was a smooth 2-4 over the last two sets on break points, both of which were set (and a match) points. Vasek suffered a back injury in this match and would go on to lose in round three, while Querrey continues to look for answers to get his career to the next level.

4) R2:  Jerzy Janowicz d. Gael Monfils 6-4 1-6 6-7(3) 6-3 6-3

Janowicz came into this round two encounter with a game plan, and it worked well against Monfils, who was coming off a five-set test. The Pole reached the third round by producing 70 winners in a match that went over three hours. He played poorly in the middle of the match, dropping sets two and three, but he regained his composure to win the final two frames with a total of three breaks of serve. Monfils by comparison went 0-3 on break point chances in the fifth set and generated no such chances in the fourth. Shot selection was a problem for Monfils, and he grew fatigued at the end. Both players seem to have a knack for generating exciting matches.

3) R2:  Benjamin Becker d. Lleyton Hewitt 2-6 1-6 6-3 6-4 6-2

This match did not become particularly memorable until the last two sets. Aussie legend Lleyton Hewitt was in control in front of his rowdy home fans against fellow veteran grinder Benjamin Becker. However, Becker didn’t give up after going two sets down and played tremendous tennis in the final three frames to notch an upset. He cemented himself as a “legend killer” who sends great players out to pasture. (Becker also took out Andre Agassi in his final US Open match.) Hewitt, for once in a fifth set, simply wasn’t up to par, and he got worn down by the tenacious Becker, who pushed him off the baseline and ground him down with punishing groundstrokes.

This was the first match that Becker won in five sets (0-6 previously). He broke Hewitt twice in sets four and five, while Hewitt was 0-3 on break points in the last set. In addition, Becker, whose formerly elite serve has lost a bit of zip over the years, turned back the clock and was dominant when he got first serves in over the last three frames. He fell to Milos Raonic in the next round but reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in 10 years.  As for Hewitt, his career is clearly winding down at this point, so we should enjoy it while it lasts.

2) R1:  Gael Monfils d. Lucas Pouille 6-7(3) 3-6 6-4 6-1 6-4

The young Frenchman Pouille’s forehand was magical for large parts of this match. He’s rising up the rankings, and he nearly notched a top-30 upset in what has been a great January for him. Pouille snuck his way to a two-set lead over Monfils, who struggled to work himself up for this match, especially playing a poor first-set tiebreak. Many people thought Monfils would crash out, but he stuck with the match and clawed his way back in. The momentum shifted when Monfils broke in the third set and took it 6-4 after holding at 4-4 30-30. Monfils broke Pouille five times over the final three sets as Pouille ran out of gas and Monfils looked more comfortable in the end, showing his fitness. Pouille cracked 55 winners, while Monfils was strong on his serve, winning 80% of his first-serve points. Pouille has established himself as a name to watch after this match.

1) R1:  Feliciano Lopez d. Denis Kudla 3-6 6-2 4-6 6-2 10-8

In a heartbreaking loss for Denis Kudla, the USTA wild card recipient for the Australian Open fought hard the whole way. He came back from dropping the second set to win the third set, and he hung in the whole way during a fifth set played in hot conditions on an outdoor outer court with little shade. Lopez was troubled by Kudla’s clean ball-striking and aggressive net play, but his lefty serve and slices, especially the backhand slice, helped him win the match. Lopez smacked 26 aces, including seven in the fifth set. Kudla had three match points at 6-5 in the fifth set after generating a crucial break of serve, but he choked it away. After a few more games, Lopez, who appeared to be exhausted, found a burst of energy and won it. The net play and rallying in this match was fantastic and a joy to watch. You could feel the tension in every point in the fifth set.

Lopez is now in the round of 16, while Kudla, who has been an undersized ball-striker always on the fringe of making a breakthrough to the ATP level, may be on the verge of truly getting that breakthrough this season.