Defending champion Gael Monfils beat Gilles Simon 6-4 6-1 in the all-French to reach the quarter finals at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam. Monfils beat Simon for the third time in their 10 head-to-hed matches.
Monfils saved two break points in the second game of the second set before breaking serve in the third game at deuce to take a 2-1 lead. Simon converted his second break point chance to draw level to 3-3. Monfils broke serve at 15 in the ninth game and served out the opening set on his second set point in the 10th game.
Both players traded breaks in the opening two games of the second set. Monfils reeled off five consecutive games with three consecutive breaks to win the second set 6-1. Monfils has won for the 11th time in his past 12 matches in Rotterdam.
Filip Krajinovic beat Vasek Pospisil 6-4 7-6 (7-5). The first set went on serve in the first eight games, where Krajinovic converted his third break point chance at deuce. The Serbian player saved three break points and held his serve at deuce to seal the opening set 6-4.
Krajinovic earned an early break in the first game of the second set. He earned a match point on his serve at 5-4 in the second set, but Pospisil saved it with a backhand return winner. Pospisil saved two more match points before breaking serve to draw level to 5-5.
Krajinovic saved a set point on his serve at 5-6 and forced the second set to the tie-break. Pospisil hit a backhand return winner at 5-5 to earn a set point in the tie-break, but he did not convert it, as he hit a slice backhand long. Pospisil wasted another set point at 7-6, before Krajinovic sealed the win on his fourth match point.
