ATP Rotterdam: Gael Monfils overpowers Stan Wawrinka to lift the title
The 32-year-old Gael Monfils has found his form in the last couple of weeks under the roof in Sofia and Rotterdam, losing to Daniil Medvedev in the semi-final last week before going all the way in Rotterdam to lift his eighth ATP crown from 29 finals played. In the title match, Gael took down a former champion Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 in an hour and 44 minutes, defeating the Swiss for the first time since 2010! This is the fifth indoor crown for Gael and only the second overall above ATP 250 level after Washington 2016, winning three points more than Stan and competing on a higher level in the decider that propelled him over the finish line.
Wawrinka played in the first final in almost two years and he should be happy with the way he played in Rotterdam, losing the deciding match but making a big step forward, eager to continue in the same style in the rest of the season. Both players had ten break points up for grabs and Gael prevailed with four breaks of serve, scoring two in the decisive set and giving serve away three times in set number two when Stan had the upper hand. The Swiss had more winners but also more errors, unable to find the rhythm with his backhand that worked like a charm in the previous four matches.
Gael made a perfect start, losing six points on serve in the opening set and breaking Stan in the third game after forcing a forehand error. Wawrinka fended off two break points in game five to stay within one break deficit but that changed in game nine when he netted a volley to hand another break to Monfils who was 6-3 up after 36 minutes. Things looked much better for the three-time Grand Slam champion in the second part of the match, saving all three break points he faced and finding the rhythm on the return to grab three breaks in games one, three and seven for a 6-1.
Besides those three breaks he gave away, Gael's body language was far from the best and it seemed he would not be able to find something in the tank and stay competitive in the deciding set. Against all the odds, the Frenchman landed 80% of the first serve in the final set, playing against only one break point and mixing his game beautifully to put Stan under pressure and take the momentum away from his rival. Gael built a lead in the third game after a well-constructed attack and securing another break when Stan sent a backhand long in game seven, serving for the title in the following game.
He saved a break point with a forehand down the line winner and clinched the triumph after a volley mistake from Stan to celebrate the first title in more than a year and the biggest in almost three years.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2DOOQrW
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