As in Indian Wells, Gaël Monfils will be present in the third round of Miami Masters 1,000. Friday, the eternal 38-year-old French veteran dismissed the Czech Jiri Lehecka from his journey, 27th in the world, winning 10-8 in the decisive game of the last set (6-1, 3-6, 7-6). And as Daniil Medvedev drank the cup against Jaume Munar, it is in Spanish that “La Monf” will rub the next round. Novak Djokovic has returned to him with success after three losses in rank.
Gaël Monfils did not really have a good memory of the last decisive game he had played in a third set. The last time he found himself in this situation, namely in his last match at Indian Wells, the Frenchman had bowed heavily (7-2) against Grigor Dimitrov. Friday, the same case smiled this time at our eternal 38 -year -old veteran, who continues his journey in this Masters 1,000 in Miami and will play, as he had already done in California, the third round of the tournament. The 46th in the ranking did everything for.
Admittedly, he therefore had to go through a tie-break in the last set which ended up turning in his favor (10-8) after a very beautiful showdown against Jiri Lehecka to validate his ticket for (at least) a match more in Florida. “La Monf”, however, posed his imprint on this meeting which again opposed him to a seeded by leaving only crumbs to the Czech classified in the 27th in the world after a first sumptuous set on his part. In the second round, the Hungarian Hungarian female Maroszan in the first round underwent the law of his opponent, before the two men, solid on their commitment, then made equal game in the last round before so this decisive game which saw Monfils overcome Lehecka after more than two hours of match and especially the fourth match ball for the Parisian, which had to dismiss two in favor of the Czech.
Djokovic finds a smile
It is also after having come close to the defeat very closely but having once again stored on yet another first ball struck at full power shortly after having served his thirteenth ACE of the match that the former member of the Top 10, taking advantage of a big fault in return from the head of series number 26 offered a new opportunity to conclude in this endless decisive game. He finally concluded his work on a magnificent reverse passing. And that’s not all: Jaume Munar having created the sensation against the Russian, it is not Daniil Medvedev but the Spaniard who will stand in front of Monfils in the next round. In short, the ideal evening.
A feeling that Novak Djokovic will easily share. The Serbian, which remained rare, on three losses of rank (at the Australian Open and Doha like Indian Wells, where he had dropped from the start), avoided a fourth and reassured himself by returning to success on the occasion of his entry into this Miami tournament. Opposed to the Australian Hijikata, 86th in the classification, the six-time winner of the event won in two sets (6-0, 7-6). In the first, he left no game to his opponent. In the second, he had to play a decisive game, but that he also flew over (7-1). This first victory since that of January 21 in Melbourne against Carlos Alcaraz allows the world number 5 to join the 2nd round the Argentinian Ugo Carabelli.
