Monte-Carlo Masters: Fils ends Cobolli run to reach last 16
Arthur Fils won against Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 6-4 on Wednesday and will play the winner of the match between Russian Andrey Rublev, the No 7 seed, and Frenchman Gael Monfils in the next round
Zuma / Panoramic
Frenchman Arthur Fils, the No 12 seed, advanced to the last 16 of the Monte-Carlo Masters by winning against Italian Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 6-4 at Monte-Carlo Country Club on Wednesday.
“He was a good opponent,” Fils reflected after the match. “He plays extremely well on clay. He has a good forehand, hits hard. He’s fast.
“It was not an easy match, but I started off very well, and when you start well, you are confident, and I was able to keep it up to the end. It’s rare. I haven’t won in two sets since the beginning of the year, but it was good to do that today and not lose too much energy and being able to recoup immediately.
Fils was pushed to a deciding set in his opening match against Tallon Griekspoor earlier in the Monte-Carlo Masters, but says his confidence is growing on the surface now.
“You are never sure how you’re going to play for your first match on clay. The first set was a bit laborious, but in the third set I played very well,” Fils said of his first-round match.
“I wanted to do the same today. I feel I’m playing well right now. It’s always nice to play when you have good feelings on the court, and I stepped into the court being confident and relaxed.”
Fils, ranked No 15, will face the winner of the match between Russian Andrey Rublev, the No 7 seed, and Frenchman Gael Monfils next. Cobolli had won his first title in Bucharest on Sunday.
The 20-year-old Frenchman defeated Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor (6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2) in the previous round of the Monte-Carlo tournament.
In the previous round of the Monte-Carlo tournament, Cobolli, ranked No 36, won against Serb qualifier Dusan Lajovic (6-4, 6-2).
Monte-Carlo Masters 1000, other second-round results (Monte-Carlo Country Club, clay, EUR 6.128.940, most recent results first):
- Daniil Medvedev vs. Alexandre Muller
- Valentin Vacherot vs. Grigor Dimitrov
- Novak Djokovic vs. Alejandro Tabilo
- Roberto Bautista Agut vs. Casper Ruud
- Frances Tiafoe vs. Alexei Popyrin
- Tomas Machac vs. Alex De Minaur
- Francisco Cerundolo vs. Carlos Alcaraz: wednesday
- Andrey Rublev vs. Gael Monfils: wednesday
- Daniel Altmaier (Q) beat Richard Gasquet (WC): 7-5, 5-7, 6-2
- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry: 7-6 (2), 6-3
- Nuno Borges beat Pedro Martinez Portero: 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-4
- Lorenzo Musetti (13) beat Jiri Lehecka: 1-6, 7-5, 6-2
- Jack Draper (5) beat Marcos Giron: 6-1, 6-1
- Stefanos Tsitsipas (6) beat Jordan Thompson: 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
- Matteo Berrettini beat Alexander Zverev (1): 2-6, 6-3, 7-5
