Spoiler:
France starts 1-0 in Group A
Experience overcame youth on Saturday in Brisbane as French veterans Gael Monfils and Benoit Paire led the European country to a convincing 2-1 win against Chile in both teams' opening ATP Cup tie.
Monfils, 33, clinched the victory on day two of the inaugural 24-team event being held across Brisbane, Perth and Sydney with a 6-3, 7-5 win against Chile's No. 1, 23-year-old Cristian Garin. The Frenchman ended 2019 with his second Top 10 year-end finish and was in mid-season form at Pat Rafter Arena, chasing down everything and routinely making Garin hit one more shot.
Monfils broke once in the opening set and rallied from a break down in the second set to get off the court in 80 minutes.
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“It was great today. I think he had a good period in the second set, actually a strong period. It shook me a little bit,” Monfils said. “But I think slowly I get back in shape. I had a good pre-season and then I had to stop because I hurt a bit myself during the pre-season. And then I come back a little bit stronger. And here I was hitting it quite a lot actually and it felt great.”
Benoit Paire gave France a 1-0 lead by remaining perfect against Nicolas Jarry. The 30-year-old Paire saved nine of 11 break points to win 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-3 and move to 3-0 against the 24-year-old Chilean.
Jarry led by a set and a break, but Paire broke twice in the second set to force a decider. He also navigated himself out of trouble late in the third set when, serving at 4-3, 40/40, he didn't let Jarry face a break point and held. Paire broke in the next game for the win.
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“I was able to play well a couple moments throughout the whole match, but when I had a little bit of more advantage, a set and a break, I lost a little of my head. I missed many things. I hesitated and doubted myself a little bit,” Jarry said. “I think that's just the key of where the match went.”
Paire earned a career-high 34 wins in 2019, a season that was highlighted by two of his three ATP Tour titles (Marrakech, Lyon).
“I feel good, I feel confident and really happy to play. So it was important for me, and I think it's important for the French team because we enjoy to play together. We are very happy to be here and, honestly, with the team it's not like a normal team, it's a more fun team,” Paire said.
In doubles, Garin/Jarry beat Nicolas Mahut/Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-5, 6-2. “I think in this format you have to be 100 per cent every point,” Garin said. “We lost against France, who is a really good country. They have the best players in the world. And it's like that, we have to play every point as 100 per cent. Nico was very close today. I think I had my chances in the second set and the third set.”
Experience overcame youth on Saturday in Brisbane as French veterans Gael Monfils and Benoit Paire led the European country to a convincing 2-1 win against Chile in both teams' opening ATP Cup tie.
Monfils, 33, clinched the victory on day two of the inaugural 24-team event being held across Brisbane, Perth and Sydney with a 6-3, 7-5 win against Chile's No. 1, 23-year-old Cristian Garin. The Frenchman ended 2019 with his second Top 10 year-end finish and was in mid-season form at Pat Rafter Arena, chasing down everything and routinely making Garin hit one more shot.
Monfils broke once in the opening set and rallied from a break down in the second set to get off the court in 80 minutes.
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“It was great today. I think he had a good period in the second set, actually a strong period. It shook me a little bit,” Monfils said. “But I think slowly I get back in shape. I had a good pre-season and then I had to stop because I hurt a bit myself during the pre-season. And then I come back a little bit stronger. And here I was hitting it quite a lot actually and it felt great.”
Benoit Paire gave France a 1-0 lead by remaining perfect against Nicolas Jarry. The 30-year-old Paire saved nine of 11 break points to win 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-3 and move to 3-0 against the 24-year-old Chilean.
Jarry led by a set and a break, but Paire broke twice in the second set to force a decider. He also navigated himself out of trouble late in the third set when, serving at 4-3, 40/40, he didn't let Jarry face a break point and held. Paire broke in the next game for the win.
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“I was able to play well a couple moments throughout the whole match, but when I had a little bit of more advantage, a set and a break, I lost a little of my head. I missed many things. I hesitated and doubted myself a little bit,” Jarry said. “I think that's just the key of where the match went.”
Paire earned a career-high 34 wins in 2019, a season that was highlighted by two of his three ATP Tour titles (Marrakech, Lyon).
“I feel good, I feel confident and really happy to play. So it was important for me, and I think it's important for the French team because we enjoy to play together. We are very happy to be here and, honestly, with the team it's not like a normal team, it's a more fun team,” Paire said.
In doubles, Garin/Jarry beat Nicolas Mahut/Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-5, 6-2. “I think in this format you have to be 100 per cent every point,” Garin said. “We lost against France, who is a really good country. They have the best players in the world. And it's like that, we have to play every point as 100 per cent. Nico was very close today. I think I had my chances in the second set and the third set.”