When Gael Monfils turns up at an ATP tournament, the fans are happy. The 32-year-old Frenchman stands for best tennis entertainment and often for great performances, too. The latter wasn’t to be at the 27th NOVENTI OPEN. He was sent home in the first round – by a compatriot.
The opponent at the Gerry Weber Stadion was Pierre-Hugues Herbert. And he is dangerous on grass, for he has indeed won in Wimbledon – the doubles. Four times Herbert has held the winners’ trophy at a Grand-Slam tournament up high after winning the doubles title. This was last at the Australian Open this year. He even got the Career-Grand-Slam there. In the singles he is ranked no. 43.
So Monfils knows, who he is up against. But the former singles-semi-finalist of the French and US Open is of course favourite to win. Promptly, he dozes over the opening of the match completely. The at no. four seeded man from Paris can just fender off his compratriots double-break in the fifth game, but then fights back bit by bit. Herbert, who went to school in Germany, has three set points at 6:3, but he wastes all of them. But he stays calm and takes the next opportunity to make it 8:6.
Then a shock in the seventh game at 3:3 in the second set. Monfils falls, stays on ground. Tournament medic Christoph Engelke and Physio are called. Also Pierre-Hugues Herbert goes to his opponent. But after a few tests on goes the fans favourite.
But only for a few minutes. At 4:5 Monfils presents his opponent with a match point. Herbert uses this to make it 7:6(6) and 6:4 and with this one of the favourites is out of the competition. The 28-year-old Herbert convinced however, consequently finding his way to the net. Abilities in the doubles on grass are very useful.
