Tien ends Monfils’s Montreal farewell with a bagel and a signature smash

No. 12 seed Learner Tien beat wild card Gael Monfils 6-3, 0-6, 6-3 on Thursday to reach the third round of the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Montreal, in what was Monfils’s final appearance at the tournament before his planned retirement at the end of the season. The American, ranked No. 19, will next face No. 17 seed Tommy Paul.

The 39-year-old Frenchman, ranked No. 326, produced the standout moment of the match at 5-2 down in the third set, saving a match point with his signature leaping overhead smash.

He also became the oldest man in the Open Era to win a set 6-0, doing so in the second before Tien closed out the match in the third. After the final point, Tien walked to the net to ask Monfils to sign a ball for him, a gesture that summed up the mood around the Frenchman’s farewell.

Monfils had beaten Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak 6-4, 6-4 in the first round to reach the meeting with Tien.

Monfils : “Montreal is special”

Speaking afterwards, Monfils reflected on a relationship with the tournament stretching back 17 years, since his breakthrough win over Marat Safin at the event as a 22-year-old in 2009.

“Montreal really has a special place for me,” he said. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” He thanked the crowd warmly and left the door open to a return as a spectator next year. “It’s really thanks to you that people like us can live our dream. This is a new page, but I might see you next year with my wife.”

Monfils will play on for a few more months before retiring at the end of the season. He and his wife, Elina Svitolina, are entered together in mixed doubles at the US Open, and he has also received a wild card into the men’s singles main draw for the year’s final Grand Slam, which begins August 23.

Montreal Masters 1000 second round

• T. Griekspoor d. A. Zverev (1): 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4
• M. Arnaldi (30) d. F. Marozsan: 7-5, 2-6, 6-4
• D. Merida d. U. Humbert (24): 6-3, 6-3
• A. Michelsen d. F. Cerundolo (16): 6-3, 6-4
• L. Tien (12) d. G. Monfils: 6-3, 0-6, 6-3
• T. Paul (17) d. V. Royer: 6-4, 7-6(5)
• A. Popyrin d. R. Collignon (32): 6-4, 6-3
• T. Tirante d. T. Fritz (7): 7-5, 6-3
• B. van de Zandschulp d. D. Medvedev (4): 6-3, 7-6(5)
• H. Hurkacz d. A. Tabilo (25): 6-4, 7-6(4)
• T. Atmane d. K. Khachanov (21): 6-4, 7-6(3)
• J. Mensik (13) d. J. Fearnley: 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
• C. Ruud (9) d. J. Cerundolo: 6-1, 6-2
• J. Fonseca (22) d. S. Tsitsipas: 7-6(3), 7-5
• Z. Bergs (31) d. S. Baez: 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
• B. Shelton (5) d. J. Brooksby: 6-3, 7-5
• J. Lehecka (8) d. V. Kopriva: 6-4, 6-2
• A. Blockx (27) d. J. Munar: Walkover
• R. Jodar (20) d. C. Moutet: 4-6, 6-1, 6-3
• L. Musetti (11) d. N. Mejia: 7-6(6), 6-2
• M. Navone d. V. Vacherot (14): 1-6, 6-3, 6-3
• A. Fils (18) d. Z. Svajda: 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
• C. Norrie d. I. Buse (29): 6-3, 6-3
• A. de Minaur (3) d. J. Duckworth: 6-2, 7-6(6)
• Y. Hanfmann d. F. Cobolli (6): 7-6(5), 7-6(2)
• N. Borges d. T. Etcheverry (26): 6-4, 6-2
• L. Darderi (19) d. G. Diallo: 6-4, 2-3 RET
• J. Shang d. A. Rublev (10): 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(5)
• F. Tiafoe (15) d. M. Cilic: 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
• A. Rinderknech (23) d. M. Kecmanovic: 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4
• B. Nakashima (28) d. D. Altmaier: 6-2, 6-1
• T. Droguet d. J. Faria: 7-6(2), 6-2

Montreal Masters 1000 third round

• T. Griekspoor vs M. Arnaldi (30)
• D. Merida vs A. Michelsen
• L. Tien (12) vs T. Paul (17)
• A. Popyrin vs T. Tirante
• B. van de Zandschulp vs H. Hurkacz
• T. Atmane vs J. Mensik (13)
• C. Ruud (9) vs J. Fonseca (22)
• Z. Bergs (31) vs B. Shelton (5)
• J. Lehecka (8) vs A. Blockx (27)
• R. Jodar (20) vs L. Musetti (11)
• M. Navone vs A. Fils (18)
• C. Norrie vs A. de Minaur (3)
• Y. Hanfmann vs N. Borges
• L. Darderi (19) vs J. Shang
• F. Tiafoe (15) vs A. Rinderknech (23)
• B. Nakashima (28) vs T. Droguet