Potito Starace upsets Gilles Simon to reach the last four at Grand Prix Hassan II
Italian Potito Starace, ranked 47th in the world, upset world number 23 Gilles Simon of France in three sets 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the quarterfinals at the Grand Prix Hassan II in Casablanca on Friday. It took the Italian
two hours and 19 minutes to undo his opponent in a tough contest.
Starace took the early lead as he broke Simon in the third game and held his serve in the next game to go ahead 3-1 in the opening set. However, Simon broke back in the sixth game, levelling the score at 3-3. Starace broke his
opponent again in the ninth game and served out the set at 5-4.
The Italian hit a single ace and committed the same number of double fault in the opening set. Starace delivered 69 percent of the first serves, converting 80 percent of them into points. The 29-year-old could not save the only
break point he faced in the first set. The Italian converted two of the six break point opportunities he received in the opening set.
Simon fought back as he broke Starace a couple of times in the second set, winning it 6-3. The Frenchman neither hit an ace nor any double fault in the second set. He kept his first serve percentage at 62 percent and won 76 percent
of the points on his first serve. On the other hand, Starace fired 70 percent of the first serves, winning 54 percent of the points on them. The Italian managed to save two of the four break points he faced in the in the second set.
After equalizing the match score at one set all, Simon drew the first blood in the deciding set as he broke Starace in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead. But after that, it was all Starace show as the Italian claimed four consecutive
games and won the final set 6-4.
Starace fired a single ace and 53 percent of the first serves in the third set. He won 69 percent of his first service points in the final set. In comparison, Simon hit three aces and 66 per cent of the first serves. The French
saved three of the five break points he faced in the final set. While, Starace managed to save five of the six break points he faced in the third set.
The fifth seed Italian is slated to face Romanian Victor Hanescu, ranked 58th in the 2011 South African Airways ATP Rankings, in the semi-finals. Hanescu defeated qualifier, world number 244 Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia
in three sets 6-7(1), 7-5, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.
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