• ATP Tour

Monfils fends off Simon for final spot

ESPN staff
February 4, 2012
Gael Monfils remains on course for the fifth title of his career © Getty Images
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Gael Monfils was forced to dig deep to book his place in the final of the Open Sud de France, fending off fellow Frenchman Gilles Simon on Saturday.

Third seed Monfils lost the opening set, but bounced back to claim a 4-6 7-6(4) 6-4 victory in Montpellier.

Monfils started brightly, grabbing an early break, but was soon pegged back by his opponent, who snatched the opening set with a break of serve in the final game.

Neither player was able to find a breakthrough in the second, although Monfils came under a torrent of pressure on his own serve, saving eight break points to force a tiebreak.

But a costly double fault handed Monfils the advantage, and the world No. 13 forced the match to a decider before bursting to a 3-0 lead, only for Simon, one place higher than his compatriot in the world rankings, to break back.

With the match in the balance, it was Monfils who grabbed a late break to to book his place in the final after two hours and 25 minutes.

Monfils will face Tomas Berdych in the final, after the No. 1 seed proved too good for Philipp Kohlscrhreiber - winning 6-3 6-4.

At the Zagreb Indoors, Lukas Lacko progressed to the final with a 7-5 7-6(3) win over Marcos Baghdatis and his reward is a clash with No. 3 seed Mikhail Youzhny who eased past Michael Berrer 6-3 6-4.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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