Gilles Simon ousts Andreas Seppi; sets up a date with Feliciano Lopez – AEGON International 2013
French star, Gilles Simon, eased past the seventh seed, Andreas Seppi, in straight sets at the AEGON International 2013 on Friday. The Spanish challenger, Feliciano Lopez also earning the glory after crushing Croatia’s Ivan Dodig
with a breadstick in the semis at this Wimbledon warm-up tournament held in Eastbourne, United Kingdom.
Seeded second in this event, Simon showed brilliant tennis skills to record a 6-4, 6-3 victory against the 29-year-old. As a result, he improved to a 5-1 lifetime in the FedEx ATP Head 2 Head series against Lopez and secured a
spot in the final round.
The higher seed commented in a post match press conference after clinching the match, "It's always strange situation, but at the end of the day I just have to focus on the first one. I think it's going to be a tough match against
him. He's a very good grass court player and I think he played a great tournament until now. So I just hope I would play the same kind of tennis as today."
Simon made a thunderous start in this match, as he cruised to a 3-0 lead with two breaks of serve right away. Despite levelling the scores in the eighth game, the French stayed calm and got the breakthrough in the very next game.
He held his serve once more and pocketed the set with a 6-4 win.
Ranked 17th in the Emirates Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Simon maintained his intensity in the following set. He lost his serve once but cashed three break chances, sealing the set by winning six games to three.
Simon will square off against the world number 39, Lopez, in the final showdown.
The Spanish veteran on the other hand warded off early resistance to overpower Dodig in their second encounter. With this victory, Lopez avenged his defeat in Barcelona and levelled the head-to-head series by 1-1 against the Croat.
The former world number 15, Lopez, was quoted in a post match presser, “I'm very happy. I mean, for me now to be in the finals of an ATP event, it's a great feeling. It's good for me, for my game and for my confidence for the rest
of the year. It's definitely a great week for me.”
In the opening set both contestants played carefully. They showed brilliant defensive skills and took the set to a tie-breaker. The Spaniard edged past Dodig in it and clinched the opener with a 7-6(3) score line.
Lopez went berserk in the following set. He reeled off the opening five games before Dodig could come on the score board again. The Spaniard slid his serve once again and pulled out the set with a breadstick.
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