Frenchmen compiled an even 3-3 record at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Wednesday, with three seeds advancing to the third round and a trio of unseeded underdogs bowing out.
There was never much of a chance in France sending more than three to the last 16. After all, two of its own had to face each other in round two–with No. 10 seed Gilles Simon going up against qualifier Benoit Paire. Simon evened the head-to-head series at 3-3 by scoring a 6-4, 7-5 victory at Paire’s expense. The two players combined for a ridiculous 12 breaks of serve, seven in favor of Simon and five to Paire’s credit.
The other two unseeded hopefuls dealt with unfortunate draws, to put it mildly. Wild card Lucas Pouille had to go up against eight-time Monte-Carlo champion Rafael Nadal and lost 6-2, 6-1 in one hour and eight minutes. Jeremy Chardy went down by the exact same scoreline and lasted only 54 minutes with Roger Federer on the other side of the net.
Next up for Federer is Gael Monfils, who held off Alexandr Dolgopolov 7-6(5), 7-6(6) in an entertaining encounter.
“Gael is such a player,” Federer commented. “He has capacities that other players don’t have, physically, also because of his power on the forehand and the backhand. It is a real challenge to play him. Often the problem is not on your own racquet against him.”
Monfils pretends to give up a point, then doesn’t:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tmbn02vqjaM]
Joining Monfils and Simon in the third round is Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who picked up his best win of an injury-abbreviated season by downing David Goffin 6-3, 6-4. Tsonga saved all four of the break points en route to a second victory at what is just his second tournament of the year.
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