Written by
The Sports Network
Montpellier, France (Sports Network) - Former Wimbledon runner-up Tomas
Berdych outlasted French crowd favorite Gael Monfils in Sunday's title match
at the Open Sud de France tennis tournament.
The top-seeded world No. 7 Berdych snuck past a third-seeded 13th-ranked
Monfils 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in just over two hours on the indoor hardcourt at
Montpellier's Arena. The Czech Berdych tallied 11 aces and three service
breaks in the big victory, while Monfils settled for 11 aces and only one
break in defeat.
Berdych is now 2-0 lifetime against Monfils, who captured this French event
the last time it was contested, in 2010.
The 2010 Wimbledon finalist Berdych is now 7-6 in his career ATP finals, while
Monfils, who is now a dismal 4-13 in his career finals, dropped to 0-2 in a
pair of 2012 title tilts, as he lost to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in an all-French
championship match in Doha last month.
The 26-year-old Berdych's first-place check is worth $95,000.
The Sports Network