Monfils, Fognini Deadlocked In Second-Round Thriller

© Getty ImagesGael Monfils fought off three match points in the last game before play was halted.

Frenchman Gael Monfils fought off three match points in a second-round thriller against Italian Fabio Fognini on Wednesday night at Roland Garros before play was suspended after three hours and 41 minutes.

As countryman Richard Gasquet had done just two days earlier in his match against Andy Murray, No. 13 seed Monfils saw a two-sets lead evaporate as Fognini battled back from the brink.

The 92nd-ranked Italian broke Monfils to send the match to a fourth set, and after finding himself down a double break at 1-4, reeled off eight straight games to assume a 3-0 lead in the fifth set. The momentum then swung in Monfils’ favour as he won the following three games.

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With light fading quickly, tournament referee Stefan Fransson came out following the eighth game to inspect the situation. After six minutes and a point penalty to Fognini for delay of game, the Italian resumed play and managed to face down break point in an eight-and-a-half minute game to deny Monfils an opportunity to serve out the victory.

Understanding that play would be halted after the following game, Monfils came up with his own heroics to ensure he would play a second day. Battling cramps, the 2008 Roland Garros semi-finalist succeeded in fighting off three match points and held serve to level the score at 2-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 5-5.

The pair will resume their match Thursday in the second match on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Three other matches were also suspended due to darkness, and will continue early Thursday afternoon. Murray holds a 6-2, 3-3 advantage over Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela; Marcos Baghdatis had just established a two-sets-to-one lead against Spaniard Marcel Granollers 4-6, 6-1, 7-5; while Swiss Marco Chiudinelli leads 17th-seeded American John Isner 7-6(3), 5-5. 

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