Showing posts with label Rotterdam Netherlands. Show all posts
2019 ABN AMRO: Gael Monfils Prevails Against Friend Stan Wawrinka To Claim Rotterdam Title
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
(ABN AMRO) Gaël Monfils has become the winner of the 46th edition of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament. The 32-year-old Frenchman beat his good friend Stan Wawrinka in the final: 6-3, 1-6, 6-2. It was the eighth ATP title for the Paris-born showman.
Gaël Monfils (32) and Stan Wawrinka (33) are two superstars of a generation that slowly vanishes from the scene. But audience favorite Monfils and triple Grand Slam winner Stan the Man have never played a final match.
"It was a separate race," said Monfils, who was nicknamed the "Flying Frenchman" in Rotterdam. "We have been training together all winter and have known each other for so long. In fact, the battle plan was 'who could take care of the biggest surprise?' Of course I was tired during the final, but I did not show anything. My physio did a great job during the tournament week, because in the first round I had fallen on my wrist. "
Gaël Monfils, who returned to the top 30 in the world rankings with his tournament win, had lost a final 21 times. "I am always happy to be in a finale, in a few finals I was the big favorite, but I lost when I was young, I was in finals against Roger Federer, Ivan Ljubicic and Andy Roddick. absolute world top. "
Gaël Monfils was happy to see his name on the champion ring as well as Arthur Ashe. "Ashe has done a lot for the black community in the States, I have read a lot about him and also seen many of Ashe's statues, this is the tournament I won, as did Arthur Ashe."
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2019 ABN AMRO: Frenchmen Jo-Wilfried Tsonga And Gael Monfils Into The Quarter Finals In Rotterdam
Thursday, February 14, 2019
(ABN AMRO) The smile of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga could hardly be greater when he left the center court of Rotterdam Ahoy. The Frenchman, winner of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in 2017, had just gotten rid of the Dutch stuntman Tallon Griekspoor: 7-6 (5), 6-1.
"I played well and reached a constant level," said the 33-year-old Tsonga. "In the first set I made the big points and after the early break in the second set I have made almost no mistakes."
Audience favorite Tsonga was sidelined for seven months last year with knee problems. "Injuries are part of the life of a tennis pro. It is not easy to come back again, but it's going in the right direction. I love to be a player again."
Tsonga plays in the quarter finals on Friday-afternoon against the fifth Daniil Medvedev. Both players won an ATP tournament last Sunday. "That will be a tough game," thinks Tsonga, who in 2012 was the number five of the world rankings. "Medvedev is a player who has developed enormously in recent months."
Gäel Monfils was the first quarter finalist of the 46th edition of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament. The French showman defeated Andreas Seppi in the second round: 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Gäel Monfils suffered from his wrist in his first round against David Goffin, but Andreas Seppi did not notice that much. Yet the Italian routine came out of the starting blocks. "Seppi played the first set very well," judged Monfils, 33rd on the ATP ranking. "He also hit a few beautiful dropshots, but I kept on playing aggressively."
Monfils will play in the quarter finals against Bosnian Damir Džumhur.
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