In the title match, Fognini faced Slovak Andrej Martin, who played only his 6th ATP event and the first final.
Advertisement
Both players endured scorching hot temperatures on court as the first set quickly turned into a serving contest. Another volley error from Karlovic ended the Croat’s streak of holding serve at 70 service games. The match didn’t disappoint, with Monfils prevailing by 5-7 7-6 6-4 in just 2 hours and 13 minutes, saving one match point in the second set tie break. Karlovic then closed out the set 7-5 with a smash victor. 6-4 saving a match point. Monfils hit a forehand volley victor and Karlovic sent a forehand long to surrender a break.
“I tried to be as aggressive as I could and it paid off”, Karlovic said. “He [Ivo Karlovic] had a big serve”. Monfils struck two low returns at the tall Croatian’s feet that he couldn’t handle. Ivo fired 28 aces but his first serve wasn’t always there when he needed it, staying on 60%. Karlovic double faulted for the second time to set up the first break-point of the match.
“The crowd has been awesome”, Monfils said. Monfils broke in the third game of the final set and held from there to take the match.
At the Miami Open, Monfils backed up his performance at the BNP Paribas Open and he reached the quarterfinals again in Miami but it was a heartbreaking loss for him as he squandered five match points against former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori. Monfils kept up his solid serving and soon found himself at 5-4. Returners meet their chances in the final two games of the set, and it was Ivo who took the majority. A final big serve from the Frenchman sealed the comeback 5-7, 7-6(6), 6-4 win.
Monfils reached the 25th final of his career, but he’s only won five in the past.
Monfils often changed his return position throughout the match.
“I love Stevie to death”, he said, “but I don’t think that backhand lob he it I don’t think he could do that all the time”.
“Today was pure luck”, Monfils said.
Wickmayer seeks her fifth WTA title, her first since past year at Tokyo, while the others are in their first tour semi-finals.
For Karlovic, the disappointment was evident despite having made his second straight ATP final after Newport last week.
“Normally I should have (won)”. It happens I guess. “At that moment, I just didn’t have it. I’m not used to that”. I thought he was going to close in really hard.
Advertisement
Monfils became the third French player to win the Washington crown after Yannick Noah in 1985 and Arnaud Clement in 2006 and noted how Noah and 1973 victor Arthur Ashe were special inspirations to him. “I was fortunate to put in good first serves when I had to and I’m happy to be off the court instead of still playing”. “I was throwing up all night, dehydrated – in these conditions I was dead out there after three games”, Zverev said. “Definitely to have my name next to them, it’s priceless….”
