Monfils through in straight sets, Chardy fights back

gaelmonfils - cropped

Gael Monfils brushed aside the challenge of Alexander Zverev at the ATP Open 13 to reach the second round in straights sets.

The world number 21 immediately stamped his authority on proceedings with the first five games of the match, while also restricting Zverev to just 10 points, before seizing the lead easily.

It took a mammoth tie-break for the Frenchman to seal his progression, however, Monfils converting his fourth match point to win 6-1 7-6 (14-12).

In other action on Tuesday, it was a day of first-round comebacks as Jeremy Chardy, Andrey Kuznetsov and Vasek Pospisil all fought from a set down to progress.

Chardy – the highest-ranked of the three players – struggled to get going against French qualifier David Guez, however he found his rhythm in the second set and came through a 4-6 6-3 6-2 winner after converting his first match point.

Both Kuznetsov and Pospisil also put their slow starts behind them in Marseille with the former beating Andrey Golubev 3-6 6-4 6-2, while Pospisil fired down 16 aces on his way to a 4-6 6-3 6-4 win over Robin Haase.

Nicolas Mahut thought he may be the fourth player to put an opening-set loss behind him to reach the second round after he levelled his match against Jan-Lennard Struff, but it was the German who prevailed in the final set tie-break.

Struff's big-serving game coming to his rescue as he recorded a 6-1 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (7-1) win in just over two hours.

There were no such problems for Dominic Thiem, though, as he cruised past Joao Sousa7-6 (8-6) 6-4, and Benoit Paire will also be in the second round after Paul-Henri Mathieu retired through injury after the former took the opening set 6-4.

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