Gael Monfils recovered from losing a two-set lead to knock Tomas Berdych out of the French Open this afternoon courtesy of a 7-6 6-4 6-7 6-7 7-5 success at Roland Garros.
There was very little to separate the duo during the opening set, with neither able to record what would have proved to be a decisive break of serve. As a result, a tie-breaker was required to determine a winner.
The breaker ended up being just as even, but it was Monfils, playing in front of a home crowd, that eventually came out on top 10-8.
It then appeared that the Frenchman was going to ease to victory over the 2010 semi-finalist when he opened up a two-set advantage courtesy of an early break.
However, in the third set, world number six Berdych emerged victorious from the breaker 7-4 this time around to force a fourth set.
That again proved to be tight and once again a breaker was needed to split the two players. The Czech Republic number one gained control of it early on and went on to win through 7-3, thus forcing a deciding fifth set.
It seemed as though a fourth tie-break was inevitable, but with the scores level at five games apiece, Berdych found the net with an attempted drop shot and handed Monfils a break of serve.
The world number 81 got his service game started with an ace and then continued to hold his nerve to book his place in round two, where he will take on Latvia's Ernests Gulbis.
Liam Apicella
