New York (AFP)
French N1 Gael Monfils qualified for the second round of the US Open on Tuesday, beating Spain's Albert Ramos, 51st overall, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-3.
"I'm happy to have made a good first solid match, three sets with a good level of play," he said.
"At every game there is a little tension, knowing that Albert is not a gift, we know we will play a lot," he said.
In the next round, the 13th world player will face the Romanian Marius Copil (93), who eliminated another French, Ugo Humbert.
"My goal is to win the most games here (at Flushing Madows, Ed.) As 13th you do not play the top 8 before the 8th finals, so go first to that point", he affirmed.
"So I want to stay in this slice not easy, very dense, between 18 and 10. I have to make a good Grand Slam to stay in this slice," he concluded.
Monfils, eliminated in the second round of the US Open last year, has already reached the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows in 2016. He also played two quarter-finals (2010 and 2014).
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