Monfils excitement machine is back

Injury has ravaged much of the career of Gael Monfils but not enough to deny us the pleasure of his tennis.  While not the greatest technician on the court he is correctly regarded as one of the finest artists to have caressed a tennis ball.  He has enjoyed consistent runs at the Aus Open without setting the world on fire and if he was to keep the record of always reaching at least the third round then the tough opponent form Chinese Taipei needed to be nudged aside on the way through.
Yen-Hsun Lu is a former Wimbledon quarter finalist and a counter puncher to be carefully watched.  The second round match should be one of quality.

For a quality battle the opening stanza had little going for it.  Rather mundane really.  However with Monfils on court in fluorescent green top an explosion of sorts could occur at any time.  Lu sen a forehand rocketing down the line in the third game to awaken some of us and at 2-1 on serve things may have just been set up to fly.

Two big Monfils serves set up the next game, and Lu held comfortably for 3-2, getting the better of a few extended rallies where he tested the Monfils backhand.  The verdict was that it needs a tutor until it catches up with the rest of the class.

Lu finished a few of the long rallies with volleys at the net when he could see that the batteries would run out with any more racquet work.

Serves continued to be held by both players and Monfils threw out some big ones until at 5-6 he slipped up and faced a set point.  Coming into the net his heart moved into his mouth when a passing shot from Lu successfully passed Monfils and his racquet but just failed to hit some line.

We had a tie break to decide the Set winner and in a tight affair Gael Monfils took home the bacon seven points to five and the set 7-6.

The second set had just about all of what the first set have us except the tie break.  That looked highly likely also but for a Monfils failure in the ninth game.

Until then each had been terrific on serve, and Gael in particular in the seventh game stepped it up by rushing to the net behind a couple of shots to finish that game early.
At 5-4, Lu did not waste his chance and the sets were tied at 6-7 6-4.  A second round match which by now had reached the status of best of any match yet seen at this Open by yours truly.

As this goes to press Lu has taken control, breaking Monfils twice in the third to lead 3-0 and serving.
Could go five sets yet but I need to be at Rod Laver Arena for Federer/Davydenko.

Postscript: Monfils miraculously found a way back to win in 5 sets 7-6 4-6 0-6 6-1 8-6