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Friday, February 23, 2018, 11:20
Monfils beats top-seeded Cilic at Rio Open, Thiem advances
By Associated Press
Friday, February 23, 2018, 11:20 By Associated Press

France's Gael Monfils celebrates defeating Croatia's Marin Cilic at the Rio Open tennis tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb 22, 2018. (LEO CORREA / AP)

RIO DE JANEIRO — Frenchman Gael Monfils beat top-seeded Marin Cilic 6-3, 7-6 (8) on Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Rio Open.

Monfils finished Cilic off in 5 minutes after their match was interrupted by heavy rain on Wednesday night.

Next up for Monfils is No. 6 seed Daniel Schwartzman. The Frenchman said waiting to play the decisive points against Cilic was very hard.

"We only played four points, but I had to keep my concentration all day long. I am so glad I could do that," Monfils said.

Croatia's Marin Cilic reacts after failing to return the ball to France's Gael Monfils during the Rio Open tennis tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb 22, 2018. (LEO CORREA / AP)

Cilic won only one match on the clay in Rio in his first tournament since he reached the Australian Open final in January.

No. 2 seed Dominic Thiem moved on to the next round when Spain's Pablo Andujar retired due to injury in the seventh game of their match.

Thiem, who won the Rio Open last year, will face Spain's Fernando Verdasco in the quarters. Verdasco beat Argentina's Nicolas Kicker 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-0.

Fourth-seeded Fabio Fognini also advanced with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6) victory against American Tennys Sandgren.

The Italian will face Slovenian Alijaz Bedene, who eliminated No. 3 seed Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 win.

Carreno Busta lost last year's final against Thiem.


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