Match of the day: Monfils (WC) vs Gulbis (U)
Another Frenchman again featured in a thrilling match on day four as for the second time during the championships 2008 semi-finalist Gael Monfils took centre stage on Court Philippe Chatrier.
This time the energetic 26 year-old was up against the very dangerous Latvian Ernests Gulbis who twice come close to victory over Nadal in recent months. It promised to be a terrific encounter and so it proved.
A very tight opening set was decided by a tie-break which Gulbis edged by seven points to five. When the Latvian took an early break at the start of the second set he looked to be taking a stranglehold on the match but he could not maintain that form.
Monfils broke back and broke again to level the match. The third set was gripping and proved to be pivotal.
Again Gulbis broke first and was again pegged back by the Frenchman who then broke again to go up 5-2. The Latvian held to force Monfils to serve out the set.
In that ninth game Monfils led 40-0 but Gulbis showed considerable determination to fend off the set points with some big hitting and he broke back.
When the 24 year-old levelled at 5-5 and held break points in the eleventh game he suddenly had the momentum. He was unlucky not to convert one of the break points as a huge crosscourt backhand had Monfils desperately stretched but his defensive backhand reply trickled off the netcord and Gulbis was left helpless.
Whether Gulbis would have held to go two sets to one up we'll never know but the set went to another breaker and this time it was Monfils who took it with a stunning stretched forehand volley winner.
The Latvian was holed beneath the waterline and Monfils broke twice in the fourth to seal a thoroughly entertaining 6-7(5-7) 6-4 7-6(7-4) 6-2 victory to back his defeat of Berdych in the opening round.
The 2004 junior champion next faces 32nd seed Tommy Robredo and I think he'll continue his winning ways in that one.
Hopefully Gulbis will be a factor at Wimbledon and he may well be seeded. When he puts it all together he certainly plays top 10 tennis.
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