Monfils suffers first round Paris exit

Paris - Gael Monfils was sent packing in the first round of the Paris Masters on Monday when he slumped to a 2-6 7-6(7) 6-4 defeat by fellow Frenchman Benoit Paire.

Monfils, the world number 20, seemed to be cruising towards a straightforward victory in the renovated Bercy Hall after opening up a 6-2 4-0 lead. But then he lost focus.

Paire forced a tiebreak, which he won 9-7, and broke decisively in the ninth game of the third set, finishing it off on his first match point with an ace.

Next in line for Paire is another Frenchman, Gilles Simon.

World number one Novak Djokovic will open his title defence on Tuesday in a second-round match against Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci.