Gael Monfils, who hadn't dropped a set all tournament, met Lucas Pouille, who had only played five-setters prior to the match, for the second time in their careers. This 2016 US Open quarterfinal match showed off some great tennis. While an exhausted Pouille fought the whole two hours and two minutes, a determined Monfils was too much to handle. The veteran took the match in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
Monfils takes opener without facing a break point
Pouille opened the match with a pair of unreturned serves and even gave a serve-volley down the middle a go. After five points, the world number 25 held at 15 to lead 1-0. The other Frenchman was also able to hold at 15--making the score even at 1-1.
After being given a bit of a scare at 0-30, Pouille continued to attack the net and volleyed his way to 40-30. The younger Frenchman would give up his first break point to his compatriot on a backhand into the net at deuce. However, Pouille’s met play continued to be his saving grace--saving the break point giving him an out to hold. That kept the match on serve, 2-1.
Monfils would face a significantly easier road to his second hold as his opponent only took two points on his serve in the fourth game. The 30-year-old continued to have no answer to Pouille’s aggressive volleying, and the world number 25 would hold in the fifth game without being challenged. Nonetheless, the tenth seed was able to keep his compatriot at by with big serves and aces galore.
When his level of volleying dipped, Pouille found himself in a 0-40 hole with a lot of work to do. One break point was saved, but he couldn't outlast Monfils in a baseline rally--whipping a cross-court forehand just wide. That would be the match’s first break, and the world number 12 would take with it his first lead, 4-3.
A hold at 30 would consolidate the break for the veteran Frenchman--growing his lead to 5-3. The set would end two games later on a love hold from Monfils, 6-4.
Monfils unfazed by roof closing
The set second opened with some early drama; Pouille trailed 15-40 in his first service game but was able to dig his way out to deuce with none other than a volley and an unreturned serve. Once at deuce, the 22-year-old held serve with ease to take the first lead of the set, 1-0.
Monfils continued to hold easily to knot the score up at one-apiece. Missing a volley and an overhead en route to 15-40, Pouille seemed to be barely hanging on. He was able to save one break point with a volley, of course, but the second one wouldn't go his way--giving up his second break of the match.
With a hold at 15, the 30-year-old consolidated the break to take a 3-1 lead. Pouille responded with a hold after one deuce, but, down 2-3, he still had a ways to go in order to have a chance at winning the set.
After the two split a pair of holds to bring the score to 4-3 in favor of Monfils, the rain caused a short delay in action. This weather blip allowed Arthur Ashe Stadium to show off its new roof and play resumed about 20 minutes later.
Monfils jumped out to a 40-0 lead in his first service game indoors; while Pouille was able to fight to deuce, a pair of aces quickly shut down any hope of a break back. Trailing 3-5, the 24th seed threw away the set on a string of errors and a double fault at 0-40.
Monfils ends another straight-set victory
The third set--like the two preceding it--saw some dominant tennis from Monfils. His opening service game featured a balanced attack on a battered opponent. Despite being able to hold off his older opponent on serve, Pouille was doing little to break in his return games. After three games the 22-year-old trailed, 1-2.
At deuce in the next game, Pouille missed another volley at deuce to give the set its first break point. Monfils quickly broke with a high-flying smash to take a 3-1 lead. That break was consolidated in just over a minute with a hold at love, and every point became a nail in the coffin of Pouille’s 2016 US Open run.
The two competitors traded holds without a single break point for the final five games, and the third set ended with the 30-year-old winning, 6-3.
With another straight sets victory, Monfils will move on to the semifinals where he will meet the winner of Novak Djokovic vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. This victory will also propel the player nicknamed “La Monf” to a top-10 ranking for the first time since 2011.