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Frenchman Gael Monfils (pictured) came from behind to defeat big-serving John Isner 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-3, on Thursday night and advance to the second round of the Sony Ericsson Open against World No. 1 Roger Federer.

Monfils, who came into the tournament winless (0-2) on the season, avenged a three tie-break sets loss to the American in the semifinals of Washington last summer.

Isner saved three set opening set points to win the tie-break 10-8 but fell behind 3-0 in the second set. Isner converted on his ninth break point in the set to get back on serve at 4-3 but he lost serve in the next game. Monfils then served it out to level the match.

In the final set, Monfils broke to take a 3-2 and then added another break in the ninth game to secure the victory in two hours and 11 minutes.

Monfils converted five of nine break points while saving 11 of 13 on his serve. Isner hit 10 aces and double-faulted eight times. He won only 44 percent of second serve points compared to the Frenchman's 60 percent.

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Four qualifiers advanced to the second round for the second day in a row, led by World No. 86 Ivo Minar of the Czech Republic, No. 104 Bobby Reynolds, No. 119 Viktor Troicki of Serbia, and No. 265 Ryan Sweeting of the U.S.

The 23-year-old Minar hit seven aces past Olivier Rochus of Belgium 6-3, 6-2, while Troicki cruised past Romanian Victor Hanescu 6-4, 6-1 in 69 minutes for a second round meeting against World No. 6 and 2004 champion Andy Roddick.

The 20-year-old Sweeting, who is the second-lowest ranked player to reach the second round (behind No. 311 Xavier Malisse), converted four of nine break points and saved five of six on his serve in the one hour and 12 minute match. He will face No. 18 seed Juan Monaco in the second round on Saturday.

World No. 41 Serbian Janko Tipsarevic beat qualifier Yen-Hsun Lu of Chinese Taipei for the second time in his career with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 win in one hour and 49 minutes. Tipsarevic now goes on to meet No. 29 seed Fernando Verdasco of Spain.

American Mardy Fish suffered a 6-3, 6-3 loss to Frenchman Arnaud Clement in the first round after last week reaching the Pacific Life Open final (l. to Djokovic) in Indian Wells. The World No. 40 was beaten in just 69 minutes, in the pair's third career meeting. Clement saved all four break points he faced while converting three of six on Fish's serve.

"It's pretty tough to come back a couple of days later," said Fish. "I mean, I only got here like two nights [ago]. With that being said, it's obviously a little disappointing to go out so early here. But I'm going to, obviously, take a lot of memories from last week."

Israeli No. 1 Dudi Sela saved all five break points he faced to beat Korean World No. 48 Hyung-Taik Lee 6-4, 6-3 in 77 minutes. Sela, who also reached the Pacific Life Open second round (l. to Tsonga), will now meet Spanish No. 14 seed Tommy Robredo.

Swedes Robin Soderling and Thomas Johansson also advanced to the second round in different ways. Soderling needed only 38 minutes to defeat Austrian Stefan Koubek 6-0, 6-1 while Johansson came back to beat Russian qualifier Igor Kunitsyn 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. Johansson converted seven of eight break points in the one hour and 45 minute match.

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