The French was eliminated Thursday in the round of 16 by the Russian Alexander Shevchenko, after a match spread over two days.
Gael Monfils, who returns to competition after seven months of absence due to a foot injury, was eliminated Thursday in the 16th round of the Phoenix Challenger tournament, beaten over two days by Russian Alexander Shevchenko 6-4 , 6-7 (2/7), 6-3.
The match, interrupted the day before by rain when the Russian was leading 2-0 in the last set, resumed in the morning in Arizona, where the Frenchman, who fell to 210th place in the ATP rankings, lined up on his second tournament in a week.
He had already been eliminated on March 9 in the first round of the Indian Wells Masters 1000, dryly beaten 6-3 6-1 by Australian Jordan Thompson (87th).
A comeback at 6-4, 4-0
Facing Shevchenko, whom he met for the first time, Monfils fought hard for almost two hours on Wednesday to avoid a defeat in two sets, managing to make a comeback after being down 6-4, 4-0.
Despite a physical condition still too short, he had found the mental resources to win five games in a row and then win the decisive game by doubling his aggressiveness.
But the 36-year-old Frenchman had conceded his entry service in the third set, to find himself trailing 2-0. When the rain started again.
Direction Miami
Thursday morning, he could not reverse the situation again despite two break points at 3-1, Shevchenko remaining solid enough on his serve to hold his advantage.
After this event, Monfils has planned to continue with the Masters 1000 in Miami, before attacking the European clay court season, with in particular an announced presence in Monte-Carlo (April 9-16).
In Phoenix, where the table is exceptionally high for a Challenger tournament, Richard Gasquet and Quentin Halys are the two Frenchmen still in contention.
