Sport - Tennis

The NBA fan

PARIS: Gael Monfils is an NBA fan.

When someone likened the 21-year-old Frenchman’s upcoming showdown against Roger Federer to a football match between France and Brazil, Monfils suggested a different comparison.

“I would say instead it’s like Lakers vs. Boston,” he said. “It’s going to be a big match — probably the most important match in my career so far — but it’s not Game Seven yet.”

Monfils, the first French semifinalist at Roland Garros since Sebastien Grosjean in 2001, wore a blue-and-gold jersey with the No. 86 to his news conference on Wednesday after upsetting No. 5 seed David Ferrer 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.

It looked like a University of Michigan Wolverines College football jersey, but Monfils said the only significance was the number.

“That’s the year I was born,” pointed out Monfils, who wore a University of Miami Hurricanes jersey after his previous victory.

Two-time major champion Marat Safin lost in the second round. He’s still keeping tabs on the tournament, though, watching his younger sister Dinara Safina. — AP

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