The Swedish moment continues for Gaël Monfils, winner Friday of a Franco-French duel against Adrian Mannarino 7-5, 7-6 (7/3) and qualified for the semi-finals of the ATP 250 tournament in Stockholm, which he already won in 2011. The Parisian, 140th in the ATP ranking, who at 37 is attempting a return to the highest level after injuries to a foot and wrist having poisoned his start to the season, had no longer reached the last four of a tournament from Adelaide in January 2022 – where he won his last title.
He will face the Serbian Laslo Djere (35th) or the Czech Tomas Machac (81st) on Saturday for a place in the final, playing in the last quarter-final scheduled for the evening. “There was great energy today, it was a good match, quite close. I had a bit of luck at the end, there was this return to the line in particular… You always need a bit of luck and today she was on my side. I am very happy to have come out in two sets,” commented Monfils, who at the same time became the oldest semi-finalist in the history of the Swedish event.
Monfils, who now leads 5 to 2 in his confrontations against Mannarino, the previous one two years ago at the Masters 1000 at Paris-Bercy, was in fact able to thank destiny for having brought his return to the line to make him a winner at 3-3 in the decisive game of the second set. Mini-break in his pocket, he then scored three other points to win in 1h45.
Under the eyes of Stefan Edberg, esthete of the volley and winner of six Grand Slams in the 1980s and 1990s, frustration did not fail to overwhelm Mannarino, who threw his racket in annoyance after hitting a similar return of serve in this tie-break, but without biting the line. The 24th player in the world, looking at 35 for a third title this season after Astana and Newport, had nevertheless managed to come back into this match, breaking in this set when Monfils had escaped 4-1.
The latter, although more powerful in his strikes, was not always master of the exchanges, but Mannarino committed too many unforced errors to hope for a better outcome, like the 12th game of the first round during which he made accumulated three, letting Monfils win it without forcing his tennis.
