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The win was Monfils’ first victory since February 2014 in
Montpellier, France, and came at a place where two of the
players he looked up to – Yannick Noah and Arthur Ashe – had won
before him.
“I grew up with those names,” Monfils told reporters.
“Definitely to have my name next to them, it’s priceless. It
meant a lot for me. I’m very happy, very proud.”
Karlovic, a winner last week at the Hall of Fame Tennis
Championships in Newport, Rhode Island, came close to becoming
the oldest man to win back-to-back ATP singles tournaments since
43-year-old Ken Rosewall in 1973.
Karlovic was serving for the match while leading 5-4 in the
second set but Monfils broke and prevailed in the tie-break.
The break was the first time Karlovic failed to hold serve on 54
occasions in the tournament.
“I was serving for the match. If it was normal match, I would
win it right there,” Karlovic said. “My service stopped at that
moment. It happens, I guess. I’m not used to that. But it
happens.
"I was going to win, and then I lost my serve. That is tennis.”
Monfils added another service break early in the third set to
take the momentum and pushed on for the win.
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter
Rutherford)
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