French Open 2019: Inspired Thiem eases past Monfils in straight sets
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
ByEurosport
Updated 03/06/2019 at 21:23 GMT
An inspired display from Dominic Thiem put an end to the French Open hopes of local favourite Gael Monfils.
Austria's Dominic Thiem celebrates after winning against France's Gael Monfils during their men's singles fourth round match on day nine of The Roland Garros 2019 French Open tennis tournament in Paris on June 3, 2019.
Image credit: Getty Images
Fresh from the press conference spat involving Serena Williams, Thiem put on a masterclass of clay-court hitting to dispatch Monfils 6-4 6-4 6-2 and set up a meeting with either Juan Martin del Potro or Karen Khachanov in the quarter-final.
Even Monfils – master of the outrageous shot – was forced to applaud early in the third set when the world No 4 pulled off an audacious tweener to win a point that he’d seemingly lost.
The Austrian fourth seed, widely regarded as the man standing between a final showdown between world number one Novak Djokovic and 11-times champion Rafael Nadal, wiped 14th seed Monfils off Court Philippe Chatrier in expeditious fashion.
"It was my best match of the tournament so far, some great rallies; it's always fun to play Gael," said Thiem, who advanced in straight sets for the first time this year.
Thiem took full advantage of Monfils misfiring early on to move 4-0 ahead. It was a necessary cushion as the Frenchman, finally hitting his stride, won four of the five following games.
Thiem served for the set at 5-4 and Monfils could offer no resistance. There was more of a contest in the second set which went on serve until the ninth game, when Monfils hit long to hand his opponent a decisive break.
Thiem broke for 2-1 but wasted another opportunity in the fifth game. It did not prove costly, however, as Monfils had long lost the thread.
No French woman reached the third round at Roland Garros this year and, in the men's draw, Monfils's defeat followed that of Benoit Paire, who lost focus in a five-set match against Kei Nishikori earlier on Monday.
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
/images.sports.gracenote.com/images/lib/basic/geo/country/flag/large/2219.png)
/images.sports.gracenote.com/images/lib/basic/geo/country/flag/large/2202.png)