Gael Monfils dumps Kevin Anderson to move into final four – If Stockholm Open 2011
World number 10, Gael Monfils of France outplayed this year’s South Africa Open winner, Kevin Anderson, in the quarter-final clash of the If Stockholm Open on Friday.
Played at the indoor hard courts of Stockholm, Sweden, the contest witnessed a magnificent display of high quality tennis from the top seeded Frenchman. Monfils took one hour and thirty two minutes to wrap up victory in straight
sets 7-5, 7-5, to make it to the round of four at the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour 250 event.
It was Monfils’ 34th victory of the year, earning him a berth in his fifth semi-final of the current ATP season. 25-year-old French faced limited resistance from his opponent and cashed in most of his opportunities in
the game to register a comprehensive victory. Anderson had his chances in the contest but the South African squandered some priceless opportunities to finish on the losing side in the end.
Anderson equally matched Monfils in most aspects of the game but in the end it was the Frenchman’s ability to convert crucial break points which gave him the competitive edge over his opponent. Monfils converted five of his six
break chances to drive Anderson out of the competition, while the South African registered three serve breaks in reply to lose the game.
“I think Kevin played good. I have to give him credit,” stated Monfils after recording his quarter-final win. “He was going for his shots more and was very loose. It was tough for me. Maybe I dropped a little in concentration but
he played good at that time.”
Monfils took hold of the opener earlier with a serve break in the third game but Anderson returned the favour in the sixth to bring him back on even terms. A second break point conversion in the 11th game gave Monfils
an opportunity to serve out of the set and he closed the opener at 7-5.
A more competitive second set was witnessed, with Anderson striking two serve breaks in a row but Monfils proved too strong for him in the end. The top seed finished off the second set at 7-5, moving into the semi-final round of
the tournament.
Monfils meets the sixth seeded Canadian competitor, Milos Raonic, in the semis to earn a title shot in the final of the If Stockholm Open. Raonic had an easy victory over the unseeded Bulgarian, Grigor Dimitrov, 7-5, 6-4, in the
round of eight on Friday to book a battle with the top seed French in the semi-finals.
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