By Canadian Press

Monfils to face Nadal in Rogers Cup semi after three-set win over Bautista Agut

Aug 10, 2019 | 5:17 PM

MONTREAL — The semifinals are finally set at the men’s Rogers Cup tennis tournament.

Sixteenth-seed Gael Monfils of France will face top seed Rafael Nadal in the final four after a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (2) win over 10th-seed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain on Saturday. The quarterfinal match was postponed due to lightning on Friday night then set back further by a rain delay Saturday.

Monfils capped the victory with a smart forehand winner after Bautista Agut had trouble with the Frenchman’s serve.

The 32-year-old Frenchman was favouring his left ankle for much of the match, and was unsure if he would be able to face Nadal in the semis.

“I showed today that I was a fighter,” Monfils said. “Now I hope (the injury) is not that bad. Honestly, I don’t know. I need to relax and see in two hours if I’ll be fine to play another match.

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

“The match is going to be a good one. I don’t know if my body is ready.”

Monfils, who also made the semis at the Rogers Cup in 2016 in Toronto, improved his record against Bautista Agut to 4-1. The Spaniard’s only victory against Monfils came at the third round of the Rogers Cup in Montreal two years ago, when he saved a match point in picking up a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (2) win.

Nadal is 14-2 against the Monfils, including six wins straight. Monfils last beat Nadal in Doha, Qatar, seven years ago.

The other semifinal is an all-Russian matchup between sixth seed Karen Khachanov and eighth seed Daniil Medvedev.

The Canadian Press

For local news delivered daily to your email inbox, subscribe for free to the Lethbridge News Now newsletter here. You can also download the Lethbridge News Now mobile app in the Google Play and the Apple App Stores.