Monfils Upsets Raonic at the Gerry Weber Open
Frenchman Gael Monfils upset fifth seeded Milos Raonic at the 2013 Gerry Weber Open, 6-4, 6-2 in the first round of the event. Monfils advanced to the third-round at the 2013 French Open where he beat world number six Tomas Berdych in the first round. "It’s a great tournament. It’s a great spirit," said Monfils. "The stadium is beautiful and there’s always a good crowd. I like the German crowd. They’re into it. So, it’s good, it’s noisy. It’s the kind of stadium I like to play on. I just feel good here."
Seventh-seeded Jerzy Janowicz was upset by world number 240 Mirza Basic in his ATP World Tour debut, 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(5). Janowicz was coming off a career-best third-round showing at Roland Garros and suffered his sixth opening-round defeat of the season. Basic was a lucky loser in the draw, replacing Philipp Petzschner, who was forced to withdraw with a shoulder injury.
Sixth seed and 2011 Gerry Weber Open Champion Philipp Kohlschreiber set an all-German second-round clash with Tobias Kamke after beating Carlos Berlocq 6-3, 6-1. Kamke beat Poland’s Lukasz Kubot 6-4, 6-0. Ernests Gulbis will play third seed and defending champion Tommy Haas in the second round after defeating Marcos Baghdatis 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. German wild card Cedrik-Marcel Stebe claimed his second win of the season as he defeated qualifier Jimmy Wang 6-2, 6-4. The 22-year-old Stebe advances to face top-seeded Roger Federer for the first time.
In doubles action, it was Merrick, N.Y.’s Scott Lipsky and his partner Santiago Gonzalez, the number three seeds, defeated the German wild card pairing Daniel Brands & Tobias Kamke 7-6(3), 6-2 to open their Halle campaign. Lipsky & Gonzalez have one grass-court title together, having triumphed in Newport last year.
