Monfils Knocked Out Early by Michelsen in Stuttgart
The match that concluded the day's schedule at the ATP 250 tournament in Stuttgart was an enticing one, pitting Alex Michelsen against Gaël Monfils. The 38-year-old Frenchman was one of several French players in action in Germany on Tuesday during the first round.
The task looked tough for Monfils against the American, ranked 35th in the world and seeded seventh in Stuttgart. The two had never faced each other before, but Michelsen proved to be the more consistent player in this encounter. With 32 winners and 22 unforced errors, the Californian native from Aliso Viejo had to work hard but ultimately had the final say.
Despite 14 aces and solid break-point efficiency (converting 2 out of 3), Monfils eventually faltered after conceding a break midway through the third set, which he couldn’t recover from. Michelsen triumphed (6-4, 4-6, 6-3), snapping a three-match losing streak on the ATP Tour.
He will face Justin Engel for a spot in the quarterfinals.
As for Monfils, he was the only French player to fall on German grass this Tuesday. Before him, Arthur Rinderknech, Corentin Moutet, Quentin Halys, and Pierre-Hugues Herbert had all secured their spots in the round of 16. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard had already qualified on Monday after defeating Roman Safiullin.
Stuttgart 
