David Goffin came back from one set down to beat Benjamin Bonzi 2-6 7-5 6-1 in 1 hour and 53 minutes at the Open Sud de France
Bonzi earned two breaks in the second and eighth games to close out the first set 6-2. The Frenchman raced out to a 6-2 3-0 lead with a break in the second game of the second set in the second set, but Goffin won three consecutive games with a break-back in the fifth game to pull back on serve before earning a crucial break in the 11th game to take a 6-5 lead. The Belgian broke three times in the third, fifth and seventh games to seal the third set 6-1.
“The match was a very tough one, especially at the beginning when I was a little bit tight. My groundstrokes were a little bit too short. It’s never easy when Benjamin is playing like that. He had time to hit some big groundstrokes, big first serves and he is very aggressive, so it’s never easy, but during the match I stayed positive even though I was one set and one break down. I tried to stay focused, to stay as long as possible on the court to try to get some confidence, to work on certain things, to be more aggressive, hit a better quality of ball. At the end it was better and better, so I am really happy the way I played at the end of the second set and in the third set. It’s a very good win for me, very important for my confidence. I am happy to try to defend my title and be in the second round”, said Goffin.
Goffin will face either Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or Adrian Mannarino, who lost to eventual Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal in Melbourne last month.
Second seed Alexander Bublik battled past Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5). Bublik lost to Goffin in the round of 16 in his only previous appearance in Montpellier in 2020.
Grieekspoor, who advanced to his first ATP Tour quarter final in Melbourne last month, saved a total of five break points in the first set, which went on serve en route to the tie-break. Bublik rallied from 1-2 down to win the tie-break 7-4. Bublik earned an early break to take a 2-0 lead. Grieekspoor broke back to draw level to 4-4. Bublik won three consecutive games from 4-5 down to close out the second set 7-5.
