The Frenchman Gael Monfils is already in the round of 16 of the Australian Open. ‘La Monf’, seventeenth favorite, got rid of the Chilean Cristian Garín, seeded sixteenth in a match in which he only struggled in the first set to win by 7-6 (4), 6-1 and 6-3 in two hours of play.
Monfils was intractable with his serve with 14 aces and 72% of points won with his first service, in addition to a total of 30 winners and take advantage of 7 of the 11 break balls he had to beat Garín and achieve his pass to the round of 16. Thus, Monfils becomes the third Frenchman who manages to reach this round in a Grand Slam 20 times after Tsonga and Gasquet.
In this round Monfils will face Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, who should have faced Novak Djokovic in the first round and who continues on his particular mission to ‘avenge’ the Serb. Kecmanovic managed to beat Italian Lorenzo Sonego, twenty-fifth seed, 6-4, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-5 in three hours and 22 minutes.
Kecmanovic survived all 13 aces and 49 winners for a Sonego who lost the match on break points, as the Serb won 6 of 13 that he had for only 2 of the Italian to access the round of 16 and continue to ‘avenge’ Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open.
Zverev can with Albot and will be seen with Shapovalov
Alexander Zverev, the great favorite for this upper part of the table after the absence of Novak Djokovic, continues with a firm step in the tournament and He is already in the round of 16 after beating Moldovan Radu Albot 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 57 minutes of play.
Zverev once again showed off his effective game with up to 16 aces, placing 44 winners for only 30 errors and take advantage of three break balls and save the five he had against.
Now Zverev awaits his first big challenge in this Australian Open: the Canadian Denis Shapovalov, who struggled more to survive the 17 aces of Reilly Opelka and beat the American 7-6 (4) 4-6, 6-3 and 6-4 after three hours of game.
Australian Open Men’s Draw.