Tennis: Fifth seed Gael Monfils outlasts Steve Johnson in epic battle in Stuttgart Open

Gael Monfils made it through to the second round of the Stuttgart Open in Germany, but was taken the distance by Steve Johnson of the United States. Monfils, the number five seed, came out on top 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(6) after two-and-a-half hours on court, wasting three match points at 6-5 in the deciding set along the way. He also had to save a match point in the third set tiebreak. Monfis will face American opposition again in round two in the form of Denis Kudla, the world number 85.