Gael Monfils moves into 3rd Round as Ivan Dodig retires – Western & Southern Open 2011
Making his way through the Cincinnati Open 2011, ATP Masters 1000 Event, the world No.8, Gael Monfils, played his 2nd round battle against the furious Croatian, Ivan Dodig, on Wednesday, 17th August.
Played at the magnificent Lindner Family Tennis Centre, Ohio hard court, the two went into the decider set after just over an hour’s play. However, the Croatian world No.36 pulled off at the last moment retiring 4-6, 6-3, 4-0.
Dodig aged 26, has been better off playing on clay rather than on the hard-fast circuit. Although the Croatian enjoys his career best stats, he still can improve his ranking playing as a clay specialist. Starting off back in 2004,
the Bosnian born Croatian has won only 1 title in his drawn out career, however, has been runner up in a number of tournaments.
Ranked as the former world No.7, Monfils has dropped a position after he lost out to Novak Djokovic in the Rogers Cup 2011. However, the Legg Mason Finalist had a close call taking over the Croatian. Though the Frenchman started
off slow, he came up strong breaking the Croatian and forcing him to retire.
The two have played twice before against each other and undoubtedly, Monfils dominated the previous fixtures as he did the 2nd round of the Cincinnati Open.
Moving on with the match, the 26-year-old Croatian mustered his way through the opening game of the match/set 1, 1-0. However, the big Frenchman equalled the scores in the next and moved on to the next, 1-1. The scores then settled
at 2-2, 3-3 and then on 4-4 with Dodig to serve next.
Pulling off with another game on his serve, the Croatian blistered game 10 as he broke the Frenchman to grab the set winner 6-4 and lead the match 1-0.
Dodig once again served to open set 2. Succeeding in game 1, the 26-year-old took the advantage lead at the start. However, this time, the gigantic Frenchman retaliated and took revenge. Levelling the scores in game 2, Monfils
then equalled scores further on at 3-3.
Making his move, the 24-year-old broke his challenger not once but twice, in game 7 and game 9 to finish off with the second set, 6-3, levelling the set scores to 1-1 and onto the decider.
Monfils this time opened up the set with a flyer, mustering the game 1, 1-0. Dodig served only to give away a sloppy breakpoint to the world No.8 and went down two games. The merciless Frenchman broke the Croatian once again in
game 4 before Dodig gave up from the game and retired. The final scores were 4-6, 6-3, 4-0 with Monfils earning a retirement victory.
Nevertheless, Monfils confidently took a chair in the 3rd round. He will now face Philip Kohlschreiber, German, to battle it out for the quarter-final seat at the Western and Southern Open 2011.
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