Gael Monfils overcomes Kevin Anderson in the first round – Thailand Open 2012
Former top-10 player, Gael Monfils of France, kept his comeback to the ATP World Tour on the right track, as he defeated the world number 35, South Africa’s Kevin Anderson, in the opening round of the Thailand Open in Bangkok.
The Frenchman won the first set but a meltdown in the second one resulted in loss. However, he regained his composure in the decider to seal the contest 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 in two hours and 25 minutes.
Monfils, who is currently world number 45, used to be ranked as high as seventh on the ATP World Tour. However, a severe injury forced him to keep away from competitive tennis from May to September this year. This long break resulted
in a loss of most of his rankings points and his position getting dropped drastically.
Coming back to the proceedings of his latest match, Monfils and Anderson exchanged a break of serve in the first four games and took the score to 2-2. The French star struck again in the fifth and capitalised on the advantage to
seal it 6-4.
Anderson came roaring into the second set, capturing opening three games to build a 3-0 lead. Monfils could not hit back, rather, he lost his serve again in the eighth to go down 2-6.
The South African threw away the winning momentum, as he lost his opening serve of the decider and also the following game to trail 0-2. Anderson broke back in the sixth to come on equal terms but he got broken again in the 11th
to go down 5-7.
Talking to the reporters after the match, Monfils said, "It's really tough to focus again, that is the biggest thing. It was four tough months for me, I didn't know when I would be back on the court. That is tough on the mind.
I've been in the top 10 and I'm motivated to be there again, it's a new start for me. I have new goals, a new mindset and mentality."
The French contender added, "It was a long time that I didn't play. I need a lot more tennis. I played OK, but just enough to win today."
Monfils will lock horns with the sixth seed, Viktor Troicki, for a place in the quarter-finals.
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