Gilles Simon jolts David Ferrer in the third round – Western & Southern Open 2011
Seeded 4th for the Cincinnati Open 2011, David Ferrer played his 3rd rounder against world No.12, Gilles Simon.
No one believed that the magnificent world No.6, Ferrer, would give out such an easy mismatched fixture and at such a later stage. The shocker came from the 26-year-old Frenchman, Simon as he scalded the Spaniard winning 6-4, 6-7(4),
6-4.
Playing at the Lindner Family Tennis Centre, Ohio hard circuit, the two battled it out for a very long time, totalling three hours and eight minutes, before the Frenchman overcame his higher ranked challenger.
Ferrer, the 29-year-old, has been playing at his best these days, and made it back to the top 10 before he dropped down in 2009-2010. Formerly ranked as the world No.4, the Spaniard is one of the most consistent players on tour.
Maintaining his position averaging in the top 20 for a considerate time, Ferrer is considered as one of the most challenging players ever.
Simon, on the other hand, has been ranked as high as world number six. The 26-year-old has won 8 of last 10 matches. Winning his 2nd match against the top 10, this year, the Frenchman made it clear into the quarter-final
round as an agonized Ferrer smashed his racquet on the ground.
Starting off with the match, the Frenchman served first to open up the set. Ferrer, losing the first game, levelled the scores in the second game, 1-1, and switched the serve to the 26-year-old. The two steadily took over games
on their respective serves before game 10 of the first set.
Breaking the Spaniard, Simon took a 1st set winning shot close from the net, top spinning and bagged the set 6-4.
Simon moved on with the set 2, eager to win the second as well, the 26-year-old pulled off strong, however, could not end it winning. With equally matched defence, the two rushed on to a tiebreak, saving 2 breakpoints each.
Ferrer finally capitalized as he went on thrashing the 26-year-old in the tiebreak winning 7-6(4) and levelling the set score, 1-1.
The match stuck on set 3 now. With a set win to each of the two, Ferrer took off with the final set serving first. Breaking the world No.6 in the first game, Simon took the lead, however, was levelled up by the Spaniard as he won
his first breakpoint of the set, 1-1. Ferrer once again blundered in game 3 losing another breakpoint to the 26-year-old and followed 1-2.
Even though the Frenchman led 3-1 after game 4, the Spaniard levelled it up in game 6, 3-3. The scores equalled once again at 4-4 before the Frenchman dismantled the Spaniard completely. Winning a breakpoint on Ferrer’s serve,
Simon took the lead in game 9 and finished off remarkably in the 10th game winning 6-4.
It was after a long time that Ferrer “The Wall” was broken so many times in a single fixture. Nevertheless, the two played outstandingly well.
Simon takes his seat in the quarter-final as he faces big shot, world number four Andy Murray to battle it out for a spot in the semis.
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