Monfils Continues Resurgence In Cincinnati

Gael Monfils backed up his quarter-final run in Toronto on Tuesday with a first-round victory at the Western & Southern Open, where he overcame physical issues and Briton Cameron Norrie 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in Cincinnati.

The 36-year-old Frenchman received treatment on his left calf in the first set, but did not let that stop him, producing an energetic display in the lively conditions in the second and third sets to advance after two hours and three minutes.

“I tried to keep it very simple with my game. I think the ATP physio came on the court and did a great job, not only the treatment but he managed to secure my head,” said Monfils, who missed Roland Garros with a wrist injury and last year’s US Open with a foot injury. “He said it would be fine and this meant the world for me. With what I have been through, it is always tough to give up with injury. But I fought. Felt good and had good wins last week and had the confidence to do it.”

Monfils arrived in Washington at the start of the month with just one tour-level win to his name this year. However, he has started to rediscover his best level during the North American hard-court swing, with his victory against Norrie lifting him to 6-2 in August. Last week he defeated World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas in Toronto.

The former World No. 6, whose best result in Cincinnati was a quarter-final run in 2011, will next meet Toronto finalist Alex de Minaur or American J.J. Wolf.

In other action, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina continued his good form by dispatching Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3, 6-3. The Spaniard reached his second Masters 1000 semi-final in Toronto last week and will next play Novak Djokovic in Cincinnati. Davidovich Fokina upset the Serbian en route to the Monte-Carlo final in 2022.

Lorenzo Musetti also advanced, moving past Washington champion Daniel Evans 6-4, 6-3. The 21-year-old Italian plays third seed Daniil Medvedev in the second round. Evans suffered first-round exits at Masters 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati after winning Washington.