Aurélie Sacchelli, Media365, published on Thursday January 9, 2025 at 12:04 p.m.
Gaël Monfils qualified for the semi-finals of the Auckland tournament by defeating Argentinian Diaz Acosta. On the other hand, in Adelaide, Benjamin Bonzi fell against Miomir Kecmanovic.
The first week of the ATP season saw the victory of Alexandre Müller in Hong Kong. The second could also see a Frenchman be crowned. Gaël Monfils in any case has a 25% chance of winning the Auckland tournament, which has been successful for the French recently, with the victory of Ugo Humbert in 2020 and that of Richard Gasquet in 2023. Opposed in the quarter-finals for the first time in his career to Facundo Diaz Acosta, 78th in the world, the French veteran (38 years old, 52nd) won 6-3, 6-1 in 1h17 at the end of a very solid match . Author of four aces and 63% of first serves, he saved the three break points that his opponent obtained. Trailing 3-2 in the first set, Monfils won the next four games to pocket the set, then broke down in the second. He will face for a place in the final the young American Nishesh Basavareddy (133rd), who eliminated his compatriot Alex Michelsen with a score of 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 in 1h42, in a five-break match. The 19-year-old Californian will perhaps have the lead in his very first Grand Slam match, in the coming days against Novak Djokovic… The other semi-final will pit Nuno Borges, who defeated Jakub Mensik (6-7, 6-2, 7-6 in 2h26), to Zizou Bergs, who eliminated Roberto Carballes Baena (1-6, 6-2, 6-3 in 1h52).
Finished for Bonzi
In Adelaide, another Frenchman was present in the quarter-finals, in the person of Benjamin Bonzi. But the 70th in the world lost against the 55th, Miomir Kecmanovic, with a score of 6-2, 6-3 in 1h04. The Gardois suffered in his first confrontation against the Serb, notably conceding twelve aces and failing to convert his only break point (at the start of the second set). Bonzi lost his serve at 2-1 and 5-2 in the first set and 3-2 in the second, and he was eliminated. He will now head to Melbourne, where David Goffin awaits him in the first round of the Australian Open. For his part, Miomir Kecmanovic will face Sebastian Korda, who benefited from the withdrawal of Thanasi Kokkinakis, hit in the right shoulder. The other semi-final will pit Tommy Paul (12th), who defeated Rinky Hijikata (6-3, 6-4 in 1h18), against Felix Auger-Aliassime (29th), who eliminated Marcos Giron 7-6, 6-3 in 1h40.
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