Gilles Simon crushes Marcos Baghdatis to enter round two – BNP Paribas Masters 2012
Local contender, Gilles Simon, devastated the Cypriot number one, Marcos Baghdatis, with a breadstick at the BNP Paribas Masters 2012 on Monday. He jolted down a 7-5, 6-1 victory against his fellow 27-year-old to power into the second round at this ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Masters 1000 event held in Paris, France.
The Nice native stayed on track to bid for his second year-to-date title after outclassing Baghdatis in their fourth encounter. After earning the glory in one hour and 17 minutes, Simon not only avenged his loss at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships two years ago but also levelled the FedEx ATP Head 2 Head Series by 2-2 against the world number 32.
The French was quoted in a courtside interview after overpowering Baghdatis:
"I think this is an opportunity for me. I will try to take advantage of it. I know my opponent well. I know what to expect. I like playing against Roger, but I think I'm quite happy with that match."
Simon made a strong entry at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy. He drew the first blood in the fourth game and took a 3-1 lead. Despite losing his edge in the very next game, the French held his composure and kept his remaining serves with poise. He got the breakthrough in the last game and ultimately clicked the opener with a 7-5 success.
Ranked 20th in the South African Airways ATP world Tour Rankings, Simon maintained his intensity in the following set. After Baghdatis held his serve in the second game, the French unleashed flurry of groundstrokes and reeled off following five games in a row, eventually pulling out the set with a breadstick.
The Swiss resident hammered five aces and clobbered an equal first serve share of 54 per cent. He also brilliantly marked 25 out of 31 points on it and ended the match with 69 points.
Next up for the local challenger was the top seed, Roger Federer. However, the Swiss Maestro withdrew from the tournament due to fatigue. As a result, Simon will now face off the Romanian lucky loser, Victor Hanescu, in the round of 32.
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