[6] Gael Monfils (FRA) vs. [8] Dominic Thiem (AUT)
So much is on the line for so many players, both in singles and doubles. For Andy Murray it is an opportunity to potentially end the year as the number one ranked male player. Interestingly, it is also the opportunity for older brother Jamie Murray to end the year as part on the number one doubles team on the ATP Tour.
Monfils, always a talent, has not produced much in his debut at the year-end finals. Is it a question of injury or are the players simply too exhausted at this stage to play their best tennis at what many consider to be one of the most prestigious tournament of their season? Today he took on Thiem, who had beaten him in their previous encounter. Monfils lost the first set yet stormed back to take the second set in a commanding fashion.
Surely he had all the momentum on his side, despite his “injury”? Yet, Thiem was not ready to concede defeat either; he dug deep and produced brilliant tennis when it mattered. At a critical juncture, Monfils folded under the pressure and delivered three double faults to lose his serve and the match. Thiem kept his hope of advancing alive when he won 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. He will also hope for some help from Novak Djokovic today and must produce more brilliant tennis in his next match if he wants to get to the semifinals.
The Bryan brothers suffered an unexpected loss today, surprising considered that they led their head-to-head coming into this encounter. Jamie Murray got his first victory over the brothers and Bruno Soares got his first win in a long time over the brothers when they won 6-3, 6-4.
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