Jason HeimTennis: Gilles Simon Into Quarter-finals
January 27th 2009 01:07
Category: Tennis
Sixth seed Gilles Simon progressed to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open when opponent Gael Monfils withdrew with a wrist injury when Simon was leading 6-4 2-6 6-1.
Frenchman Simon will play Rafael Nadal for a place in the semi-finals.
Monfils showed his capabilities of in the second set, but the effort told in the third as he patted the ball around the court, releasing his grip on the racquet after each shot.
Monfils received treatment for the wrist problem during the third set, but it was all he could do to hit the ball.
"It was very hard for me because we are very close,'' Simon said. "I won today but it's not the way I wanted to win.''
Reaching the quarter-finals is easily the 24-year-old Simon's best grand slam result; he had never previously gone past the third round before.
The loss of No 12 seed Monfils has robbed the championship of one its most colourful and talented young players.
But it has also put another gifted Frenchman into his first grand slam quarter-final.
Simon had beaten three worthy opponents on his way to Monday's match, demonstrating why he is on the verge of a place in the world's top five.
"It happened during the game slowly," Monfils said of the injury.
"Then like when I really felt it when it was at 3-1 for Gilles (in the third set).
"I mean, it was maybe 3-0 on my serve, that service game, then I start to feel it like very heavy.
"Then I asked the the physio. I was thinking maybe it was in my head. Then I say, I feel it. I ask the physio and finish."
Both players know each other very well and it was apparent they were not playing their normal games.
"I can't win against him if I just play my game as usual, because he really likes to run right, left, right, left, every time," Simon said.
"It's just useless against him. That's why I just wanted to play slower than usual, just to try to attack then, because I wanted to change the pace.
"But, well, we just want to win the match, so I did what I had to do."
Frenchman Simon will play Rafael Nadal for a place in the semi-finals.
Monfils showed his capabilities of in the second set, but the effort told in the third as he patted the ball around the court, releasing his grip on the racquet after each shot.
Monfils received treatment for the wrist problem during the third set, but it was all he could do to hit the ball.
"It was very hard for me because we are very close,'' Simon said. "I won today but it's not the way I wanted to win.''
Reaching the quarter-finals is easily the 24-year-old Simon's best grand slam result; he had never previously gone past the third round before.
Gilles Simon
The loss of No 12 seed Monfils has robbed the championship of one its most colourful and talented young players.
But it has also put another gifted Frenchman into his first grand slam quarter-final.
Simon had beaten three worthy opponents on his way to Monday's match, demonstrating why he is on the verge of a place in the world's top five.
"It happened during the game slowly," Monfils said of the injury.
"Then like when I really felt it when it was at 3-1 for Gilles (in the third set).
"I mean, it was maybe 3-0 on my serve, that service game, then I start to feel it like very heavy.
"Then I asked the the physio. I was thinking maybe it was in my head. Then I say, I feel it. I ask the physio and finish."
Both players know each other very well and it was apparent they were not playing their normal games.
"I can't win against him if I just play my game as usual, because he really likes to run right, left, right, left, every time," Simon said.
"It's just useless against him. That's why I just wanted to play slower than usual, just to try to attack then, because I wanted to change the pace.
"But, well, we just want to win the match, so I did what I had to do."
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