By his own admission, Gaël Monfils experienced a start to the season lacking sensations. The desire was still there, he was hurting himself in training, but there was a little something missing. There was better in Doha (semi-final), and also in Indian Wells (eighth). The transition to the east coast of the United States confirms this return of good vibes. Opposed in the first round of the Masters 1000 in Miami to Dusan Lajovic (against whom he now leads 3-0), the Frenchman showed that he knew how to be solid when it was necessary.
Solid, he will have been in service, first of all. Starting with three shutouts on his commitment. By then serving 11 aces and having no break points to defend. Solid, yes. The only problem was that he was unable to convert the two break points he had in the first set. It was then necessary to go through a decisive game where he negotiated the important points perfectly. If his return was out on his first set point, he cracked Lajovic on the second.
The second set was going to be a copy of the first. Even if Monfils delighted the public with a few shots à la… Monfils. The match often remained in the realm of server duels. Monfils raised the level in return at the best moment to finally break and serve for the match straight away. A formality with a new shutout. Here he is launched in Miami where he makes us forget a little the sad day of the Blues and the eliminations of Diane Parry, Harold Mayot and Alexandre Muller. In the next round, it will be the Australian Jordan Thompson, seeded 33.
2024-03-22 00:53:59
#Gaël #Monfils #Miami #Masters
