Monfils pulls out, Shapovalov beaten in Auckland

WELLINGTON: Gael Monfils became the third big name to pull out of the ATP Auckland Classic on Monday sidelined by injury while seventh seed Denis Shapovalov was bundled out in three sets.

Monfils, the eighth seed, said he was hampered by a niggling pain in the leg.His withdrawal followed the absence of top seeds Tomas Berdych and Roberto Bautista-Agut, who both pulled out after contesting the Qatar Open final on Saturday which Bautista Agut won 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

The flamboyant Monfils said his injury flared Saturday and had not responded to treatment.Shapovalov, the 19-year-old Canadian and only seed in action on day one, romped through the first set against Portugal’s Joao Sousa, but went off the boil for most of the second set.The third set went with serve until 3-3 when Sousa made the vital break and then held on to win the error-filled match.