Gilles Simon fights past Carlos Berlocq into the round of 16 – German Tennis Championships 2012
Seeded second at the event, Gilles Simon of France was close to getting defeated but came back to down Argentina’s Carlos Berlocq in three sets 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-1 in the opening round of the Bet-at-home German Tennis Championships
in Hamburg on Monday. The Frenchman required two hours and 52 minutes to complete a tough win over his rival.
Berlocq made a stunning start, as he nailed breaks of serve in the first and third game to gain a 3-0 lead. Simon got one back in the fourth and held his subsequent serve to reduce the trail to 2-3. The Frenchman hit another blow
in the eighth game, coming on equal terms at 4-4. However, all of Simon’s efforts went in vain, as Berlocq captured two in a row after that to win 6-4.
The Argentinean and Simon won their serve in the first three games of the second set, taking the score to 2-1 in the latter’s favour. The Frenchman struck in the fourth and consolidated on it to build a 4-1 advantage. However,
it was Berlocq this time, who made a comeback and levelled the proceedings at 5-5. The next two games went with the serves to take it to a tie-breaker. There was nothing to separate the two players in the first 10 games, as they went neck to neck to equalise
the score at 5-5. Though, the higher ranked contestant, Simon, grabbed the final two points and won it 7-6(5).
After capturing the second set with the closest of margins, Simon fully dominated the proceedings in the final set. He dropped only one game till the end and snatched it 6-1.
The Frenchman neither banged an ace nor made any double fault, delivering 56 percent of the first serves and bagging 39 of the 57 points in the match. The 27-year-old put away 10 of the 14 break threats he faced.
Simon said, while talking to the reporters after the match, "I tried to be very aggressive today. I know Carlos is a real warrior. I sometimes don’t have the right shot to hit a winner and that’s something I need to improve in
my game. Today was the occasion not to try to win this way. I almost lost this match, but I’m very happy that I managed to win it this way."
The Frenchman will play the former world number two, Tommy Haas, or Martin Klizan in the second round.
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