Montreal (AFP)
France's No. 1 Gaël Monfils, who was injured by injury, qualified for the semifinals of the Masters 1000 tournament in Montreal on Saturday, where he will face World No. 2 Rafael Nadal in a few hours, if the condition of his an injured ankle allows it.
The semifinal will be held, indeed, two or three hours after the end of the last quarter-final of the Canadian competition, disturbed by the rain.
However, the 20th world had to fight for 2 h 24 min in the quarter to beat the Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut (N.13) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2). Nadal played him on Friday and defeated Italian Fabio Fognini (N.9) 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Asked after his victory over his form before facing Nadal, Monfils cast doubt: "Honestly, I do not know, I'll talk to my team there, it was a tough match, I hurt myself a bit, we'll see what happens. "
"Roberto is a very good player, I made a big game, in the head I was strong (because) I was tired and I got a little bad in the second set," said the Habs 32 years old.
The match began Friday night but was quickly postponed to Saturday because of the rain that was falling on the Quebec metropolis. It finally resumed shortly before 15H30 (19H30 GMT).
Monfils led 30-0 in the first game Friday night, while the Spaniard was serving, and maintained his lead from the restart on Saturday: he made the break with a daring lob.
The Parisian then dug his lead by again serving the Spaniard, then won the first round on a shutout, helped in particular by his powerful forehands.
Change of scenery at the beginning of the second run: Monfils complains of his left ankle. A sprain contracted before Wimbledon had reduced him to the point of giving up in full match in the first round of the tournament in London, five weeks ago.
Bautista, feeling the wind turn, forces his game and finally manages to take the service of the French after a long exchange. Rage, Monfils throws his racket. The Spaniard maintains the pressure and succeeds in breaking a second time and wins the second run.
In the third set, none of the opponents gives ground, so the game is settled in the decisive game: Monfils, who continues to complain about the ankle, wins 7/2, in pain.
© 2019 AFP