Monfils beats Murray in battle of 19-year-olds

PARIS, May 30 (Reuters) Frenchman Gael Monfils won the battle of the 19-year-olds at the French Open today, outlasting an injury-hit Andy Murray 6-4 6-7 1-6 6-2 6-1 to reach the second round.

Murray, who beat Monfils in Hamburg earlier this month, had treatment for a lower back injury midway through the third set.

With the Briton's movement clearly restricted, Monfils hit back to win in three hours 42 minutes.

Both players made 68 unforced errors in the cool, breezy conditions. Murray let slip a 3-0 lead to allow 25th seed Monfils to take the opening set.

Murray then wasted a 4-2 lead in the second before winning the tie-break 7-2.

The Scot led 3-0 in the third set before a medical timeout for treatment on what appeared to be a lower back injury.

Initially, the break seemed to affect Monfils more than Murray and the Scot raced through the rest of the set.

But Murray's movement became more and more restricted and Monfils levelled the match and then cruised through the final set to set up a meeting with Belgian Dick Norman.

REUTERS PG KP2005