Gilles Simon downs Frederico Gil to move to the quarterfinals of Grand Prix Hassan II
French Gilles Simon, ranked 23rd in the world, ousted world number 83 Frederico Gil of Portugal in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the Grand Prix Hassan II in Casablanca on Thursday. It took the French
just 1 hour and 23 minutes to beat his opponent.
Simon and Gil held their serves in the first seven games of the first set, taking the score to 4-3 in Simon’s favour. The French broke Gil in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead and held his serve in the ninth game, winning the
opening set 6-3.
Both players fired a single ace and did not commit any double fault in the first set. The French kept his first serve percentage at 55 percent and converted 72 percent of his first serves into points in the opening set. Simon saved
the only break point he faced in the first set. The 26-year-old capitalized on the one break point opportunity he received in the opening set.
Just like the first set, Simon needed a single break of serve to win the second set 6-4. He hit three aces and as many double faults in the second set. The French delivered 55 percent of the first serves and won an incredible 94
percent of the first service points in the second set. In comparison, Gil fired 59 per cent of the first serves, winning 75 percent of the points on them. The Portuguese failed to save the only break point he faced in the second set.
This is Simon’s fifth appearance at the Grand Prix Hassan II. The French lost to Juan Monaco of Argentina in three sets 6-4, 2-6, 5-7 in the quarterfinals when he featured here for the first time in his career in 2005. The French
forfeited his match against Daniele Bracciali, trailing 0-6, 1-3 in the semi-finals in 2006. The right-handed suffered an opening round loss in 2007, losing to Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 4-6, 4-6. In his last appearance here, Simon entered the tournament as a qualifier
and went on to win the title, beating his compatriot Julien Benneteau in straight sets 7-5, 6-2 in the final.
The Frenchman is chasing his second title of the season. He defeated Viktor Troicki of France in straight sets 7-5, 7-6(4) in the final at the Medibank International Sydney to win his first title of the year.
Simon is drawn to meet world number 47 Potito Starace of Italy in the quarterfinals. The Italian defeated Spanish Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo, ranked 103rd in the world, in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 in the round of 16. This will
be the second meeting between Simon and Starace.
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