TennisSection previews the 2021 Moselle Open as Gael Monfils (3) faces Philipp Kohlschreiber in the Round of 16 on Thursday September 23rd, 2021.
It’s a clash of the veterans here at the 2021 Moselle Open as third seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils will face the Lucky Loser Philpp Kohlschreiber for a spot in the Quarter-Finals. Both men are highly experienced and while they are approaching the twilight of their respective careers, are still capable of some high-quality tennis. Monfils in particular has endured a very tough time recently but still has the fitness and potential to remain competitive in the bigger events, while the German is a bit older and closer to retirement than his French opponent. However, he should not be discounted here as he was a top player at one point and will is still a dangerous opponent. Monfils is the clear favorite, does Kohlschreiber have what it takes to pull off what would be a stunning upset here at the Moselle Open?
Gael Monfils is the third seed here at the 2021 Moselle Open and is currently ranked #20 on the ATP Tour. The French superstar has really struggled with form and fitness over the past few seasons, at one point struggling to string wins together. He has began to turn it around recently and has had some good results, while not yet being back at his best. As a player that relies heavily on his speed and explosiveness, as he gets older and that begins to decline he will surely struggle. Over the past few months he seems to be enjoying his tennis again, so he will surely be looking for a deep run here on home soil as he attempts to get back to his best. Monfils was in good form at the US Open, reaching the Third Round where he lost an intense five setter to young phenom Jannik Sinner. If he is fully fit as he seems to be he is the clear favorite to win this match against an opponent that he has dominated throughout his career.
Philipp Kohlschreiber is unseeded here at the 2021 Moselle Open and entered this event as a Lucky Loser. The German lost in the Final Round of Qualifying to Holger Rune, but received a lifeline which he made the most of, defeating Marco Cecchinato in straight sets in the First Round. Despite his advancing age and the fact that he is slowing down, he is still capable of some very good tennis, but question marks remain about how long he can keep it up for. He is the clear underdog here at the Moselle Open against a seemingly renewed Gael Monfils, but if things are clicking for him his heavy groundstrokes can be a force to be reckoned with. It is unlikely that he can win, but the Frenchman would be wise to not underestimate his opponent, something that he is not likely to do given his experience.
The two players have played a whopping sixteen times on the ATP Tour, with Monfils dominating the head to head, winning fourteen of those matches. This is a statistic that looks damning for Philipp Kohlschreiber, as his game has declined significantly over the past few seasons. The Frenchman is not the player that he once was, but he is two years younger and a lot fitter than his opponent, and I see him winning this match with relative ease. The German is still a solid player but it is unlikely that he can sustain a high enough level that is needed to win this match over the course of three sets. The match will be highly entertaining as is the case anytime the third seed steps on the court, but Gael Monfils will win in straight sets here, advancing to the Quarter-Finals here at the 2021 Moselle Open.
Free Tennis Pick and Prediction: Gael Monfils to win in 2 sets
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