Help
© Tennistalk.com
|
|
© Tennistalk.com
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11/10/11 6:14 PM | Ricky Dimon
Juan Monaco avoids a straight-set loss then gets past Mardy Fish via retirement on Thursday in Paris. Monaco advances to the quarterfinals and awaits either Roger Federer or Richard Gasquet.
Juan Monaco is playing great tennis and now he is even getting some help, too.
Monaco won for the seventh time in his last eight matches when Mardy Fish retired in the fourth game of the third set on Thursday at the BNP Paribas Open. Fish dominated the first set 6-1 and Monaco saved two match points in the second-set tiebreaker before taking it eight points to six. The third-round encounter ended after one hour and 41 minutes.
Monaco broke serve easily in the opening game of the match, but to say that was his lone highlight in the first set would be an understatement. The Argentine not only failed to win another game, but he earned only six total points in the last six games of the set. Fish dropped just one point in his final three efforts on serve and wrapped it up with an easy hold at 5-1.
Set two featured far more interesting and competitive tennis. Monaco shored up his game and did not face a single break point the entire way. Despite poor serving by his opponent, though, the world No. 34 never came close to breaking and had to battle it out in a tiebreaker.
Fish secured the first mini-break at 2-2 when Monaco butchered a backhand volley and he seemed poised to close out the match. The ninth-ranked American took care of his serve until he was one point away from victory, when a forehand error kept Monaco alive. Monaco survived the next match point with a big first serve and he ended the set on a four-point winning streak. The underdog's second mini-break came at 7-6 with Fish sending a backhand volley wide.
Paris' No. 7 seed held his first two service games to begin the third, but he took a medical timeout at 2-1 for a groin injury. It did not look good for Fish, who had been hobbling slightly for a few moments prior to the timeout. Worst fears were confirmed one point later, when Fish made no movement for a Monaco cross-court backhand and promptly called it quits.
Monaco, who finished runner-up last week in Valencia, awaits either Roger Federer or Richard Gasquet in the quarterfinals. Fish, meanwhile, qualified for the World Tour Finals earlier in the day when Tomas Berdych beat Janko Tipsarevic.
Find the latest tennis odds at Unibet.com
Tell a friend »
Fish already clinched the WTFs
RickyDimon , 11/10/11 8:35 PM
Scan QR code to access Unibet mobile.
Bet on Sports wherever you are and whenever you like, with Unibet's quick and simple mobile client you can place bets, check results and see live odds.
For more info about QR codes & scanners click here.
Contact us
/ About us
/ Cookies
/ Recommended links
/ Advertise
/ Sitemap
Tennistalk v1.5.0
Disclaimer © 2001-2012, Moneytainment Media Ltd - All rights reserved
Mardy Fish 
Juan Monaco 
So sorry for Mardy. I suppose this takes him out of contention for the WTF. I think this was his best year ever though, so hopefully he can continue winning next year.
Maya , 11/10/11 8:08 PM