Another tournament, another age milestone for Gael Monfils! The French veteran passed the first obstacle at the Miami Open, toppling Fabian Marozsan 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in an hour and 45 minutes. Thus, Gael became the second-oldest player to notch a Masters 1000 win in Miami after Jimmy Connors.
ADVERTISEMENT
Monfils celebrated his triumph at 38 years and six months, passing Ivo Karlovic and standing behind only the eight-time Major winner. Gael will face the young Czech Jiri Lehecka in the second round.
Gael took the opener against Fabian and forged a 4-1 advantage in the decider. The Hungarian pulled the break back before suffering a late break to propel the Frenchman over the finish line. Monfils claimed ten points more than his rival.
The 38-year-old outplayed his rival behind the first serve and prevailed in the pivotal moments. Gael defended five of seven break points and stole the rival's serve four times from seven opportunities to cross the finish line first.
ADVERTISEMENT
Monfils landed 38 winners and 18 unforced errors, taming his strokes nicely and leaving his rival on a 34-36 ratio. The Frenchman had the upper hand in service winners and from the baseline, while the Hungarian responded with a fine performance at the net.
Gael held at love in games one and three of the opener and clinched an early break for a 3-0 advantage. The veteran faced four break points in the fifth game and denied them with two service winners and two mistakes from his opponent.
The 38-year-old held at love with a powerful serve in game seven and served for the opener at 5-3. He fired an unreturned serve for 6-3 in 29 minutes. Fabian wasted game points in the third game of the second set and saved a break point with a backhand crosscourt winner.
The Hungarian provided a hold at love in game five and stepped in on the return in the next one. Fabian attacked and seized the second break point with a volley winner at the net for a 4-2 advantage. Marozsan served for the opener at 5-3.
ADVERTISEMENT
He fired an unreturned serve, wrapping up the set 6-3 and introducing a decider after an hour and seven minutes. Monfils made a fresh start in the final set and grabbed a break in the second game. He delivered three fine holds for a 4-1 advantage.
However, he hit a double fault in the seventh game, losing serve and returning his opponent to the positive side. Gael painted a backhand winner in game eight and earned a break chance. Fabian denied it with a crafty volley and locked the result at 4-4.
The veteran closed the ninth game at love with a service winner and stepped in on the return in the next one. Marozsan missed a routine forehand and faced two match points. He placed another forehand long on the first, propelling the 38-year-old into the second round.
