2011 French Open: Gael Monfils rallies past Guillaume Rufin into the round of 32
Local favourite Gael Monfils, ranked 9th in the world, came back strong after the bashing in the second set to defeat compatriot, world number 253 Guillaume Rufin in four sets 6-3, 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 in the second round of
French Open at Roland Garros on Wednesday. The French needed two hours and 38 minutes to win a tough match.
Monfils took the lead straight away as he broke Rufin in the second game of the first set and consolidated on it in the next game, blazing forward to a 3-0 lead. The set went with serve in the rest of the set and Monfils served
out the set at 5-3. The French kept his first serve percentage at 67 percent and sealed 88 percent of the points on the first serve in the opening set. In comparison, Rufin had a lower first serve percentage as he hit just 58 percent of the first deliveries
but the 20-year old had an impressive conversion rate, converting an incredible 93 percent of the first serves into points in the opening set.
Rufin looked a completely different player in the second set and damaged his opponent with aggressive shots. The French broke Monfils in the second game and held his serve in the next game, racing to a 3-0 lead. The right-handed
continued to dominate as he broke again in the sixth game and served out the set in the next game, winning it 6-1. The six feet and two inches tall hit twelve winners compared to just five by Monfils in the second set.
After losing the second set miserably, Monfils staged a great comeback as he snatched first five games of the third set, breaking Rufin in the second and fourth game to take a 5-0 lead. The French avoided a bagel set as he managed
to hold serve in the sixth game. Monfils served out the set in the seventh game, grabbing it 6-1 and taking a two sets to one lead. The Paris resident converted two of the six break points he received on Rufin’s serve and saved both break points on his own
serve in the third set.
Unlike the first three sets, both players held their serve in the first six games to square off the score at 3-3. Monfils got the breakthrough as he broke his opponent in the seventh game and held his next service game to build
up a 5-3 lead. The six feet and four inches tall broke again in the ninth game, claiming the fourth set 6-3. The French capitalized on two of the six break point chances he created in the fourth set.
Monfils will meet Steve Darcis of Belgium in the third round. The Belgian beat German Philipp Petzschner in straight sets 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 in the second round.
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