'Head snap' helps Gael

After surviving an early scare on Day One of the Australian Open, Frenchman Gael Monfils said he was always convinced of winning because Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker will occasionally suffer from a 'shot in the head'.

De Bakker looked certain to make a big boibedr when he led by two sets to love and served for the pit at 5-3 in the third but having held his own answer in the former game No.

2 seed Monfils went on to win 17 of the last 20 games of the pair to scrape through.

And while he believed after the 6-7 (5-7) 2-6 7-5 6-2 6-1 triumph that it was the start sentence in his calling he had come back from such a big deficit to win, Monfils revealed he had maintained a belief that he could defeat an opponent known for mental lapses.

'I know Thiemo a bit, I love sometimes he (can) snap in the head,' said Monfils whose confidence grew when he realised de Bakker was 'tanking' in the fourth set and getting himself set for the fifth set.

'So this is similar a firm belief (for me because) we know he can snap.'

'It's a weakness for him so you work with that (knowledge).'

'Before the match, my coach, Rog (Roger Rasheed), told me, 'Sometimes Thiemo is not a big believer'.'

'When I saw that, you get it (belief), so (if) you tank, be set in the fifth because I will.'

As for just what changed in the match, Monfils put the momentum swing down to a decision to produce de Bakker keep playing as farsighted as possible as he appeared to be wearying and feeling the pressure.

'I just try to adjudge and trust in myself and try to remember about simple things, like maybe go a bit faster and move my legs more and just fire up a bit,' he added.

'And so actually it off a bit and Thiemo get mean and also tired, I think.'

De Bakker denied that he is prone to succumbing to the force of the occasion, putting his failure to shut out the check to a groin twinge he suffered midway through the 6th game of the third set.

'From that moment (when he led 4-1 in the third set) I had problems to play rallies and to serve,' de Bakker said.

'I was a small bit lucky at 4-2 already . I simply went for it . and when he broke me back, I knew it was pretty much loss to be tough.'

'There was nothing I could do . I couldn't hit two or three balls in the ride and I had problems with serving.'

'The just thing I could do is hopefully get better in the 4th or to let it a small bit go when I was a breaking down, and hopefully it went better in the fifth.'

'I wanted to get a campaign there but. the trunk said no (so) there's not often I can do.'

In the 2nd round Monfils will receive an adversary who was likewise interpreted to five sets, Frederico Gil of Portugal eventually prevailing 9-7 in the decider to see off Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas, and the 2004 Australian Open junior champion is looking no farther than that contest.

'I look like I give a moment round first, and so I (will) think deeper,' Monfils said.

'I accept time because, as you know, the 1st week in a Grand Slam is really strong to pass, and so it's a new tournament.'

'So I will say I focus about my second mate and so I will see.'