Monfils ends 15-month winless run ahead of French Open

Posted May 18, 2021 7:00 am

The Associated Press

LYON, France (AP) - Gael Monfils ended a 15-month victory drought by defeating lucky loser Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil 7-5, 6-4 Tuesday at the Lyon Open.

Less than two weeks before the French Open starts in Paris, the fifth-seeded Frenchman got a welcome boost after being slowed by injuries recently.

Monfils, who withdrew from the Monte Carlo Open with a calf injury and lost in the first round in Rome, finally kickstarted his clay-court season in Lyon. He hit seven aces and saved the seven break points he faced to reach the second round.

His previous win was in February 2020 in Dubai, before the coronavirus pandemic brought tennis to a halt.

Also, Lorenzo Musetti of Italy upset seventh-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada 7-6 (3), 3-6, 7-5.

'œWe played a really intense match, a real fight,'ť Musetti said. 'œI learned from the loss to Felix in Barcelona. It's a good start and I hope to continue like that.'ť

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