Paris: Wild card Gael Monfils confirmed there is never a dull moment when he takes part in the French Open by upsetting Czech fifth seed Tomas Berdych in a first-round marathon at Roland Garros, on Monday.
The Frenchman, whose career has been recently plagued by a knee injury, prevailed 7-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 7-5 in front of an ecstatic Court Philippe Chatrier after four hours and three minutes.
The result marked a spectacular reverse in fortune for Berdych, who reached the Madrid Masters last four by beating world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the quarter finals.
Former world No. 7 Monfils is no stranger to upsets and prolonged ties at his home Slam.
In 2010, the Parisian played into the night, until almost 10 ’clock against Italian Fabio Fognini in a second-round match which he lost the following day after more than four hours of tennis. Two years ago, Monfils toyed with David Ferrer’s nerves and beat him 8-6 in the fifth set to reach the last eight.
In 2009, it was Andy Roddick who lost his temper, complaining to the umpire that it was too dark to play and, after both were forced to continue playing, Monfils sealed a fourth-round win in straight sets as dusk settled.
On Monday Monfils did not wait for the dark. “It’s magical here, it’s a place where I feel good, where I manage to transcend myself,” Monfils, who saw off four break points in the decider, told a news conference. Asked how he pulled it off, the Frenchman said: “My only answer is I worked. I worked. And I always believed in myself. I have gone through very difficult moments, so necessarily, you know, you get tougher.”
Berdych barely offered an explanation for his performance. “If you’re asking for (what made) the difference, then I think that, well, I had one chance in the fifth set,” he said. “I didn’t make it. He made one, so he made it. That’s absolutely what was the difference between us today.”
Meanwhile, former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki showed against British teenager Laura Robson that she is far from a busted flush. She beat Robson 6-3, 6-2. “To be honest, no, my confidence has always been good,” Wozniacki who finished 2010 and 2011 at the top of the rankings despite never winning a major, said.
“You know, she’s only 19. She’s so young. I know I’m only 22, but you know, it’s still three years older. It means a lot.”
While her critics suggest Wozniacki’s Grand Slam dream is fading fast, she is far from downhearted and believes that her best years are in front of her. “I think you see older and older players now doing very well. Back in the day, like 15 years ago you would see 15-year-old girls winning Grand Slams,” she said.
“Now it’s just not happening anymore. It’s mid 20s, it’s late 20s, early 30s now. You see a broad variety of players. I think when you’re older you get to know your game, you get to know yourself as a person,” Wozniacki added. (Reuters)
