Monfils Returns After Four-Month Absence With Win at Moselle Open
Frenchman Gael Monfils made a successful return to action at the Moselle Open in Metz, defeting Belgium’s Olivier Rochus 6-3, 6-2 in a little over an hour. The 26-year-old Monfils was playing his first match in four months, since a second-round exit at the Open de Nice Côte d’Azur in May. He improved to an 11-2 record at this ATP World Tour 250 indoor hard-court tournament, where he won the title in 2009 and reached the final in 2005.
Also at the event, eighth-seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko overcame a slow start, rallying from a set down to defeat German qualifier Mischa Zverev 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. Davydenko saved nine of the 14 break points he faced as he battled to victory in one hour and 47 minutes. Davydenko, a semifinalist on his only previous appearance in Metz seven years ago, improved to an 18-19 match record on the season.
Qualifier Clement Reix earned a second-round clash with top seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, as he won an all-French contest with Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-3, 3-6, 7-5. Ranked 502nd Reix, playing his first tour-level match at the age of 28, fired 21 aces and saved eight of the nine break points that Roger-Vasselin created to prevail in one hour and 45 minutes.
Second seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber will open his campaign against Benoit Paire after the Frenchman dismissed Belgium’s Xavier Malisse 6-1, 6-4 in just 53 minutes. Meanwhile, third seeded Marcel Granollers will challenge Ivo Karlovic after the Croatian fired 18 aces and saved six break points to defeat French qualifier Kenny De Schepper 7-6(5), 7-6(3).
