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In the rain-interrupted match, David Goffin has managed to prevail against Gael Monfils 6-7 6-3 4-6 7-5 6-3 in three hours and 58 minutes, saving four match points in the 10th game of the fourth set! Thus, the Belgian claimed his 38th Grand Slam triumph and will play in the fourth round of the Roland Garros for the third time. It was a crazy match with 39 break points in total and David outplayed Gael with 11 breaks compared to eight but he really had to dig deep in the opening four sets to stay in touch and survive that ultimate scare before breaking Monfils four times in the decider to book his place in the last 16 where he would face the Italian Marco Cecchinato.
Both players had more unforced errors than winners and returners stole the show against the servers, making most of the games very interesting and keeping the crowd on the edge of their seats for almost four hours. Goffin hit nine double faults but he played better on both the first and second serve, taming his shots in a more efficient way to leave Gael behind in set number five and advance into the last 16, despite a great effort from the home player.
They traded breaks of serve in games two and three and there were seven more break points in the rest of the set but servers fend them off all to set up a tie break. Out of 14 points, nine were mini-breaks and it was Monfils who grabbed five of those to claim it 8-6.
David stormed over the first five games in set number two to open a huge lead and Gael saved two set points in game six to avoid a bagel. He even pulled one break back in the next game before David sealed the set with a hold in game nine, leveling the overall score and making the match more interesting.
The Belgian played better in the opening four games of the third set as well but Monfils was there to fight, scoring three straight breaks to steal the set 6-4 and move closer to the finish line in front of his partisan crowd on Suzanne-Lenglen.
Gale had the match in his hands when he broke in the fourth game of the fourth set but David responded with an immediate break on the other side, staying in touch with his rival until game 10 that turned out to be the fateful one.
Facing four match points, Goffin kept his focus to repel them all and he made the crucial break in the next game after four game points that Gael wasted! David brought the set home with a hold at love in the 12th game and the momentum was entirely on his side now, notching four breaks of serve in the final set to overpower Gael and move into the next round where he plays against Marco Cecchinato. Third round results: