Blow for Classic as Monfils withdraws
Flamboyant Frenchman Gael Monfils has pulled out of the ASB Classic because of a thigh muscle injury.
One of the most exciting players in the world, Monfils was due to play compatriot Ugo Humbert tonight.
Monfils has been Auckland for almost a week, but he has picked up an injury, which could also keep him out of the Australian Open next week.
This is the third time Monfils has been a big name drawcard at the Classic but failed to take to the court.
His place has gone to Pablo Cuevas, who comes into the draw as a lucky loser, having been defeated in the final round of qualifying.
Cuevas, from Uruguay, was the sixth seed at the Classic a year ago. The match between him and Humbert will be the first match of the evening session tonight.
Meanwhile, Auckland-raised Cameron Norrie saw off tired Frenchman Benoit Paire 6-3 6-2 yesterday.
Norrie, who plays for Britain, produced consistent tennis, served well and looked to mix up his play, while Paire was all over the place, even having a quick nap during the match.
Paire has always been known as a player whose motivation can swing wildly during a match and yesterday spent most of his time looking like he had plenty of things he’d prefer to be doing instead of playing tennis.
It was all fairly run of the mill stuff until Paire was broken when serving at 3-4.
He double faulted twice in the game and in other points looked even more casual.
Norrie struggled but managed to hold serve in the next game to
win the set, with Paire bizarrely clapping Norrie as he walked to his chair. At one stage it looked as if Paire had fallen asleep at a change of ends.
Norrie broke again in the third game of the next set and that was pretty much it.
‘‘He came out and served really well, I was obviously a little bit nervous, the first time playing on that court and it was a bit windy too,’’ Norrie said.
Before that match on Centre Court, Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber beat American qualifier Bradley Klahn 6-4 7-6 in
a match that lasted an hour and a half.
‘‘The competition is high here and he came through qualifying, so maybe there is a little advantage for him,’’ Kohlschreiber said.
‘‘At the beginning of the year you try to find your rhythm in the matches and it was good.’’
In the other match on the Grandstand Court, 21-year-old American, Taylor Fritz, who is ranked 50 in the world, had to battle hard to beat Marius Copil, of Romania, 4-6 6-3 6-4.
Fritz will now play John Isner in the second round tomorrow.