Gael Monfils backed up his quarter-final run in Toronto on Tuesday with a first-round victory on the Western & Southern Open, the place he overcame bodily points and Briton Cameron Norrie 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in Cincinnati.
The 36-year-old Frenchman obtained remedy on his left calf within the first set, however didn’t let that cease him, producing an brisk show within the vigorous circumstances within the second and third units to advance after two hours and three minutes.
“I attempted to maintain it quite simple with my sport. I feel the ATP physio got here on the courtroom and did a fantastic job, not solely the remedy however he managed to safe my head,” stated Monfils, who missed Roland Garros with a wrist harm and final yr’s US Open with a foot harm. “He stated it could be wonderful and this meant the world for me. With what I’ve been by means of, it’s at all times powerful to surrender with harm. However I fought. Felt good and had good wins final week and had the boldness to do it.”
Monfils arrived in Washington firstly of the month with only one tour-level win to his identify this yr. Nonetheless, he has began to rediscover his greatest degree in the course of the North American hard-court swing, together with his victory in opposition to Norrie lifting him to 6-2 in August. Final week he defeated World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas in Toronto.
The previous World No. 6, whose greatest end in Cincinnati was a quarter-final run in 2011, will subsequent meet Toronto finalist Alex de Minaur or American J.J. Wolf.
In different motion, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina continued his good type by dispatching Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3, 6-3. The Spaniard reached his second Masters 1000 semi-final in Toronto final week and can subsequent play Novak Djokovic in Cincinnati. Davidovich Fokina upset the Serbian en path to the Monte-Carlo last in 2022.
Lorenzo Musetti additionally superior, transferring previous Washington champion Daniel Evans 6-4, 6-3. The 21-year-old Italian performs third seed Daniil Medvedev within the second spherical. Evans suffered first-round exits at Masters 1000 occasions in Toronto and Cincinnati after successful Washington.
© Peter Staples/ATP Tour