Monfils holds off Wawrinka for Rotterdam title

Gael Monfils survived a Stan Wawrinka fightback to win his first ATP Tour title in over a year at the Rotterdam Open on Sunday, prevailing 6-3 1-6 6-2.

Monfils - beaten in the final of this event in 2016 - made a strong start against the 2015 champion, putting the Swiss under persistent pressure on his own serve and forcing two breaks as a backhand volley into the net sent the Frenchman a set up.

The second followed a starkly different path, as Wawrinka opened up a 4-0 lead to storm back into contention for the title.

Monfils could not make the most of any of his three opportunities to break back before Wawrinka wrapped up the set on his opponent's serve.

MONFILS RULES IN ROTTERDAM @Gael_Monfils is the 2019 @abnamrowtt champion pic.twitter.com/0GqmVmNNHu

— ATP Tour (@ATP_Tour) February 17, 2019

It was Monfils who struck the first blow in the decider and Wawrinka never looked likely to cancel out the early break.

Another dropped service game followed for the Swiss and a misjudged drop shot sealed his fate, leaving him without a Tour crown since May 2017.

For Monfils, this is his first tournament win since the Qatar Open in January 2018.