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Gael Monfils: Survives All-French Wimbledon Opener

By Harry Floyd

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 02: Gael Monfils of France returns against Richard Gasquet of France during their Men's Singles first round match on day one of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 2, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 02: Gael Monfils of France returns against Richard Gasquet of France during their Men's Singles first round match on day one of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 2, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) /
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French tennis star Gael Monfils wins a hard fought opener at the 2018 Wimbledon Championships. He defeats fellow countryman Richard Gasquet.

Gael Monfils puts on a fine performance for the crowd during his Wimbledon opener. The French tennis star is a fan favorite and found himself in a difficult opening round matchup. Taking on fellow countryman Richard Gasquet, Monfils entered a match that could go either way. The two have been battling back and forth throughout their careers.

Winning in straight sets, Monfils takes the meeting 7-6 (6), 7-5, 6-4.

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Up next for Monfils is Italian tennis veteran Paolo Lorenzi. The strong opening performances by both veterans shows the immense amount of talent at Wimbledon this year. Also winning their openers are tennis greats Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer, among others. The Grand Slam event has plenty of experience in the men’s singles field this year.

Rafael Nadal hits the courts tomorrow. He is the tournament’s second seed and is coming off of his 11th French Open title. Federer is the defending champion at Wimbledon this year.

Gael Monfils is searching for his first career Grand Slam singles title. Last year, he reached the third round of play at Wimbledon for the sixth time in his career.

Next: Genie Bouchard: Wimbledon Interview

Gael Monfils must contend with a highly talented field of players this year at Wimbledon. The 2018 ATP World Tour has played host to a strong rising generation of young stars alongside the veteran greats. While Federer and others remain atop the rankings, anything can happen in London. Stay tuned to see if Monfils can continue advancing at the Grand Slam. He and Lorenzi face off on Wednesday during the round of 64.

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