Gaël Monfils (70th in the world) disappeared this Wednesday in the first round of the ATP 250 tournament in Montpellier, after his defeat against the 21-year-old Italian, Flavio Cobolli (76th), winner (6-7 (8/10), 6-3, 6-0).
The latter will meet for a place in the quarter against another Frenchman, Constant Lestienne (106th), who overcame the loss of the first round against Bernabe Zapata (80th) before beating the Spaniard (4-6, 6-4, 6- 2).
After leading 3-0 by taking Cobolli's first service game, Monfils was then on the tightrope in the first set.
The Italian, thanks to a double break, actually regained the upper hand to lead 4-3, and obtained three balls of 5-3 on his serve.
The “Monf” then won the next five points to equalize at 4-4.
In the tie-break, Cobolli came away 3 points to 0. Monfils turned the tide again, obtaining two set points at 6 points to 4 before winning this decisive game 9 points to 7, pocketing the first set.
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On his momentum, the former world No. 6, triple winner of the tournament in 2010, 2014 and 2020 and finalist in 2012, obtained two break points in the first game of the second set.
It was his swan song.
Cobolli saved them, took the Frenchman's serve twice in a row to lead 3-1, 4-2, then 5-2, and equalized at one set everywhere, often outpacing Monfils, who was then blunt.
Out of breath against a player sixteen years younger than him, Monfils gave in in the decisive round.
Earlier, Alexandre Müller (71st) was knocked out in the 2nd round by the American Michael Mmoh (133rd).
Two other French people face off in the evening for a place in the quarterfinals: Benoît Paire (112th), author of his first victory on the main circuit since August 2022 against Andy Murray on Monday, and Harold Mayot (144th).