In an all-French battle, Gilles Simon saved two match points to win a back-and-forth contest against Gael Monfils 0-6, 6-0, 7-6(0) on Monday at the Mutua Madrid Open. Simon erased the match points while serving at 2-5 in the third set. The 32-year-old Simon will next meet Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, who defeated #NextGenATP American qualifier Ernesto Escobedo 6-4, 6-4 in 74 minutes. Simon and Lopez have split their previous four FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings, but this will be their first encounter on clay. Lopez, 35, is the only player to have appeared in all 16 editions of his hometown ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament and is a four-time quarter-finalist in Madrid. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had to work for it but...
Gilles Simon produces pure magic during this incredible point against Novak Djokovic at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. Watch live matches at tennistv.com. Getty Images photo.
Gilles Simon shows off his excellent anticipation skills against Novak Djokovic on Tuesday at the 2017 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. Watch live matches on tennistv.com. Getty Images photo.
Seventh seed Gilles Simon began his quest for a third Open 13 Marseille title with a fighting 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over Karen Khachanov on Monday. The Frenchman started play with a 21-8 record in Marseille, having lifted the trophy in 2007 (d. Baghdatis) and 2015 (d. Monfils). #NextGenATP star Khachanov clinched the only break to take the opening set. Simon served at 5-3 but couldn’t level the match. However at 5-5 the World No. 23 broke again to force a decider. A pivotal break for 3-1 enabled the two-time champion to reach the second-round, where he will face a wild card in Julien Benneteau or Denis Shapovalov. In the doubles Benneteau, teamed with doubles World No. 1 Nicolas Mahut...
Watch highlights from day one at the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris, where Pablo Carreno Busta, Fernando Verdasco, Marcos Baghdatis and Gilles Simon were all victorious. Watch live tennis at tennistv.com. Getty Images photo.