Who will win US Open 2011? – Part Two: Gael Monfils
Continuing with our series, we now analyse another top-ten player who could be a strong contender for the US Open crown this year. In part one of “Who will win US Open 2011?” we took a look at America’s top ranked player, Mardy Fish. Going up the table we now take a look at the athletic Frenchman, Gael “Lamonf” Monfils.
Ranked 7th in the world, Monfils recently made it big into the top-ten after a superb season on clay and grass. One could argue that a wonderful season on grass and clay does not necessarily mean that the Frenchman would be a major success on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows. However, Monfils has proven time and time again that he has what it takes to match the superstars of tennis and go toe-to-toe against the likes of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer on any surface.
In only three appearances on hard courts this year, Monfils boasts an almost impressive 9-2 win loss for the season. Although he crashed out in the third round of the season opening, Australian Open, he made a semi-final berth at San Jose. However, taking to the clay and grass after that, Monfils did not return to the hard courts till late July when he debuted at the US Open Olympus Series playing at the 2011 Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington.
In the absence of Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick, Monfils was the favourite to win the title. As expected Monfils rode his wins all the way to the finals. However, a surprising turn of events took the title away from him as he was upset by Czech Radek Stepanek in straight sets. What followed next were back to back quarterfinal appearances at the Montreal and Cincinnati Masters.
In almost half a decade of appearances at the Flushing Meadows, the Frenchman has put in only one quarterfinal appearance recording it only last year. He was eventually ousted by eventual finalist and reigning world number one, Novak Djokovic. This was the furthest he’s ever been on either of the two hard court Grand Slams. He does, however, have a semi-final appearance at a Grand Slam though that is on clay at Roland Garros.
Many critics would write off Monfils without a single thought not even bothering to ask why him. Looking at his career record in the past five years, one could ask why not. Although he doesn’t boast of victories against the top ten, he does have quite a few to his names. Playing on the hard courts of Paris, Monfils did away with former world number one Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the 2010 BNP Paribas Masters after three difficult tiebreakers to move into his first ever Masters final. Overlooking the six defeats, Monfils also holds a single victory against top Spaniard Rafael Nadal defeating him in the quarterfinal of the 2009 Doha event. The Frenchman even did away with the top ranked Brit, Andy Murray not once but twice with one of those instances being a Grand Slam.
Although, he has yet to record to a victory against the reigning world number one, Djokovic, three out of the top four is not a poor statistic. In fact, in his prime form, Monfils is more than capable of making it all the way upsetting a few big names along the way.
The series continues as we take a look at Spaniard David Ferrer in the http://www.senore.com/Who-will-win-US-Open-2011-Part-Three-David-Ferrer-a94930.
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