The pragmatic pro in Gael Monfils would like to have finished off his first-round win in straight sets against up-and-coming fellow Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at the Australian Open.

The entertainer’s instinct in him got a lot of value out of clinching it in five.

In a duel between the 38-year-old Monfils and 21-year-old Mpetshi Perricard, it was age, experience and endurance that outweighed power and youth on Tuesday — helping nullify one of the biggest serves in tennis.

Days after Monfils became the oldest player to win an ATP Tour title by beating Zizou Bergs the final in Auckland, New Zealand, Monfils wasted match points in the third set and on Mpetshi Perricard’s serve in the fifth before finally closing out a 7-6 (7), 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-7 (5), 6-4 victory.

Monfils said he usually tries to avoid thinking about age gaps with competitors, “but I can tell you that tomorrow morning I will be (feeling) more 48 than 38.”

“I know ... I can sometimes have the double of the age of the guy. I have, yeah, I think 21 years of career, and he’s 21 years old, Giovanni,” he added. “Of course numbers are there, but I’m fighting, so I try not to put any number in my head.”

There were some other dramatic five-setters, with fifth-seeded and tempestuous Daniil Medvedev, a former U.S. Open champion and three-time finalist in Australia, edging Grand Slam rookie Kasidit Samrej 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 and No. 13 Holger Rune beating Zhang Zhizhen 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

No. 4 Taylor Fritz, runner-up at the U.S. Open and the ATP Finals and part of the U.S. team that won the United Cup last week, scored a 6-2, 6-0, 6-3 win over Jenson Brooksby.

João Fonseca, the 18-year-old Brazilian, made quite a debut in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament by upsetting No. 9 seed Andrey Rublev 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-6 (5).

No. 8 Emma Navarro needed 3 hours and 20 minutes and rallied from 5-3 down in the third set to beat fellow American Peyton Stearns 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-5 in the women’s first round.

By contrast, sixth-seeded Elena Rybakina overpowered 16-year-old Emerson Jones 6-1, 6-1.

NHL

Montreal’s Heineman out after getting hit by a car >> Montreal Canadiens player Emil Heineman is expected to miss three to four weeks after being hit by a car while walking in downtown Salt Lake City a day before playing at the Utah Hockey Club.

The team announced that the 23-year-old Swedish forward was out with an upper-body injury after being involved in a pedestrian accident.

Police said Heineman did not show any signs of serious injuries and was being attended to by team doctors. It was not immediately clear what his injury was.

Heineman is in his first full NHL season and has 17 points in 41 games with the Canadians.

MLB

Livermore’s Mastrobuoni dealt to Seattle >> The Seattle Mariners acquired infielder Miles Mastrobuoni of Livermore from the Chicago Cubs for cash.

Mastrobuoni, 29, hit .194 with four RBIs in 50 games for Chicago last year. He can play second base, third, shortstop and the corner outfield spots.

Police: Matusz likely died of drug overdose >> Ex-Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz likely died last week of a drug overdose, Phoenix police said.

Matusz, 37, died Jan. 6 at his home in Arizona. His mother found him with drug paraphernalia on the floor next to his body and a white substance in his mouth, according to a police report. The type of substance was redacted from the report.

WNBA

Stewart franchised by New York >> New York’s Breanna Stewart was one of a handful of players given the franchise tag by their WNBA teams, meaning they can’t sign a contract directly with anyone else.

Other players receiving the franchise player designation include Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas), Satou Sabally (Dallas) and Gabby Williams (Seattle).

Teams have until Monday — the day before players and teams can begin negotiating — to offer core designations to eligible players. By coring a player, the team gives them a one-year qualifying offer at the WNBA’s maximum salary of $249,244. It prevents the player from signing with another team as a free agent.