If 2017 was a struggle, Gael Monfils is back in business in the new year. The Frenchman rode a dominant serving display and dogged defence in claiming the title at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open on Saturday. Monfils raced to his seventh ATP World Tour crown, downing #NextGenATP Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-3 in 61 minutes. Appearing in his fourth final in Doha, Monfils finally broke through for his first tournament title. Runner-up in 2006 (l. t Federer), 2012 (l. to Tsonga) and 2014 (l. to Nadal), it was fourth time lucky for the Frenchman. He fired a total of 29 winners while striking only 10 unforced errors. One year after making his debut appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, Monfils saw...
Continuing our Season In Review Series, ATPWorldTour.com revisits the biggest ATP World Tour comebacks of 2017: 5-tie. Novak Djokovic d. Fernando Verdasco 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-3 - Doha SF Borna Coric d. Philipp Kohlschreiber 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5 - Marrakech F Five for five at No. 5. A pair of five-match point saving thrillers kick off our list, with both Novak Djokovic and Borna Coric rallying from a set and a break down to dramatically escape from the jaws of defeat. For Djokovic, the drama played out in Doha at the season-opening Qatar ExxonMobil Open, where he dodged five match points against Fernando Verdasco in a second-set tie-break. The Serbian, who was No. 2 in the Emirates...
Watch Hot Shot as Gael Monfils, down 15/30 at 4-5, gets out of trouble with a delicate backhand flick against Roberto Bautista Agut on Thursday in Montreal. Watch live tennis at tennistv.com. Photo: Peter Staples
Gael Monfils produced a mesmerising moment of magic in storming back to upset Kei Nishikori at the Coupe Rogers on Wednesday. Monfils saved four match points - including two with clutch, spectacular hot shots - in a deciding set tie-break, rallying for a stunning 6-7(4), 7-5, 7-6(6) victory. It marked the first time Monfils had come from a set down against a Top 10 opponent in seven years and just the third time in his career (3-62). A semi-finalist last year in Toronto, he improved to 13-7 overall at the Canadian ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event. Monfils was a hot shot machine with his back against the wall on a sunny Wednesday afternoon, energising the Montreal faithful with forehand...
Gael Monfils reflects on his second-round win at the Coupe Rogers and looks ahead to his next match against Roberto Bautista-Agut in Montreal. Watch live matches at tennistv.com.