Thursday 18 September 2014 21:33, UK
French favourite Gael Monfils overcame a slow start before beating Michal Przysiezny to reach the quarter-finals of the Moselle Open on Thursday.
Monfils, who had two match points for a place in the US Open semi-finals before losing to 17-time grand slam champion Roger Federer, is looking for his second title of the season after his victory on hard courts in Montpellier in February.
The second seed came through against Poland's Przysiezny, ranked 136 in the world, 7-5 6-1, and next faces another Pole in seventh seed Jerzy Janowicz after he comfortably beat veteran Jarkko Nieminen 6-4 6-4.
The big-serving Janowicz saved all three break-points he faced and hit nine aces on his way to victory in France.
Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber struck 12 aces on his way to a comfortable 6-3 7-5 win against Italy's Paolo Lorenzi and next faces Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff, who did not face a single break-point in a 6-7 (5) 6-3 6-4 win against Jeremy Chardy.
Portuguese No 1 Joao Sousa and in-form David Goffin from Belgium also reached the last eight.
Sousa struggled, saving 14 of 16 break-point chances, as he laboured to a 6-3 3-6 7-6 (3) win against Dutchman Igor Sijsling. He next plays Paul-Henri Mathieu.
Meanwhile, Goffin eased past Germany's Tobias Kamke 6-1 6-3 to set up a tantalising clash against top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
