VIENNA (Reuters) - Gael Monfils came back from a perilous position to beat Dennis Novak 2-6 7-5 6-3 at the Vienna Open on Wednesday and progress to the second round.
Novak broke the 33-year-old twice as he took the first set and was also in charge in the second until a break of serve for the Frenchman changed the momentum of the match.
Monfils, who fired 13 aces and converted all three of his break points, went on to win the last two sets to stay in contention for one of the two remaining spots in the end-of-season ATP Finals in London.
He will meet 18-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner in the second round.
Third seed Matteo Berrettini won two tiebreaks as he beat U.S. Open semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov 7-6(5) 7-6(1) in a second round match. The Italian, firmly on course for London, hit 36 winners including 20 from his forehand.
Canadian Denis Shapovalov, who won in Stockholm on Sunday to claim his first ATP title, lost to Spaniard Pablo Carreno-Busta 6-3 7-5.
(Writing by Brian Homewood, editing by Pritha Sarkar)