Montpellier, France (SportsNetwork.com) - Tall Pole Jerzy Janowicz and seventh seed Joao Sousa were a pair of first-round winners Monday at the Open Sud de France tennis event.
The fifth-seeded 6-foot-8 Janowicz came from behind to outlast German and fellow big-server Dustin Brown 2-6, 7-6 (7-1), 7-5. Janowicz popped 14 aces, while Brown fired nine and piled up seven double faults in a losing effort.
Meanwhile, the rising Portuguese Sousa handled French wild card Laurent Lokoli 6-2, 6-4 and German Tobias Kamke overcame French wild card Vincent Millot 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 at Montpellier Arena.
This week's top seed, two-time champion Gael Monfils, bested then reigning champ and two-time winner Richard Gasquet in last year's all-French finale.
The top-four seeds -- Monfils, Gilles Simon, Philipp Kohlschreiber and Gasquet -- all received opening-round byes here.
The 2015 Montpellier champion will earn $90,000.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.