By Canadian Press

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

Aug 10, 2019 | 5:18 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.

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“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