Anderson Accelerates Comeback With Big Win

Former Top 10 player Kevin Anderson looked like he’s well on his way to returning to his career-high Emirates ATP Ranking on Thursday at Roland Garros.

The South African dropped the first set against Nick Kyrgios but sprinted to the finish to advance to the third round 5-7, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2. It’s only the second time Anderson has reached the third round of a Grand Slam since his breakthrough Grand Slam performance at the 2015 US Open, when he beat Andy Murray to advance to his first quarter-final. The next month, Anderson reached No. 10 in the Emirates ATP Rankings.

The 6’8” right-hander has struggled with a myriad of injuries. He had to retire from two matches and withdraw from nine events last season because of injuries to his groin, ankle, left knee and right shoulder. His ranking fell to No. 87 on 16 January 2017.

But this season, a healthy Anderson has been on the comeback path, and Anderson, whose big-hitting game thrives on hard and grass courts, has excelled on clay. He beat David Ferrer in Barcelona, defeated Richard Gasquet to reach the semi-finals at the Millennium Estoril Open and advanced to the last eight in Geneva last week, falling to Kei Nishikori 7-6(6) in the third.

Anderson will next face Brit Kyle Edmund, who ended Argentine Rezo Olivo’s magical Roland Garros run, 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 in just over two hours. Olivo had knocked out the 12th-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the first round.

Tsonga’s countryman 15^th seed Gael Monfils reached the third round at Roland Garros the ninth time, dismissing Brazilian Thiago Monteiro 6-1, 6-4, 6-1. Monfils won 60 per cent of his return points and needed only 91 minutes to advance.

The 30-year-old Frenchman will face countryman Richard Gasquet or Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic.

Go inside the tournament at RolandGarros.com.