Chilean tennis player Alejandro Tabilo was declared the first finalist of the Mallorca tournament this Fridayof the ATP 250 category played on grass, by defeating Frenchman Gaël Monfils 2-6, 6-2 and 7-6 (3) in 1 hour and 56 minutes.
Tabilo, the twenty-fourth ranked player in the world, who was born in Montreal (Canada) to Chilean parents, overcame a bad start on the center court of the Mallorca Country Club to beat Monfils, now ranked 40 ranked in the ATP, driven by high quality. tennis level in the second set, and great solidity in the third, which lasted until the tie break.
“Jano”, as he is known in Chile, was more accurate in the percentage of first serves (64%) than his rival (58%), who he also surpassed in winning shots (28 compared to 26).
Monfils won the direct aces converted section (12 vs. 6), although he also committed more double faults (6 vs. 5).
Tabilo started the first semi-final match with many doubts. He seemed uncomfortable, erratic. Monfils took advantage of the situation and made it 4-0 on the scoreboard in just ten minutes.
The French tennis player, who will return to a grass court for the first time since 2021, quickly dispatched the first set (6-2). In the second round, everything was different. Tabilo regained the level of play he showed throughout the tournament and restored a 6-2 lead over his rival in 28 minutes.
The Chilean and the Frenchman had many followers in the stands who cheered incessantly. The third set was defined in ‘sudden death’ with both players doing their best to adjust their shots under the intense heat (28 degrees), on a court steaming because of everything at stake.
If Tabilo wins, he will not only be among the top twenty players in the ATP rankings, but he will also become the first Chilean tennis player to reach the final on grass, after his compatriot Jaime Fillol did so in 1977 at the tournament. from Nottingham (London).
If Monfils wins, he will hold the record for playing in at least one ATP circuit final for 19 consecutive seasons dating back to 2005.
In the end, Tabilo managed the key points better to achieve a victory that confirmed the great season he is having by qualifying for the third final of an ATP tournament after Auckland and Santiago de Chile.
The Chilean will face the winner of the match between British Paul Jubb and Austrian Sebastián Ofner in the grand final in Mallorca.
Source: La Verdad
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