Słodkie zdjęcie

Graty Żiluu.

Simon Signals Return To Top Form With Sydney Triumph


Gilles Simon won his eighth ATP World Tour
crown.

World No. 41 Gilles Simon won his eighth ATP World Tour title as he defeated Serbian Viktor Troicki 7-5, 7-6(4) Saturday to win the Medibank International Sydney.

Simon was contesting his first ATP World Tour final in Australia and improved to an 8-2 finals record. He is the first French winner in Sydney since Guy Forget lifted the trophy in 1991 (d. Stich).

“It's always good to win the tournament,” said Simon. “I mean, you never know if you're going to win more after, so I enjoy it every time. It's nice also for me to win here, to win some different tournaments. It's a tournament I like to play.”

The 26 year old raced to victory at the ATP World Tour 250 hard-court tennis tournament without the loss of a set, including victory over No. 3 seed Ernests Gulbis in the semi-finals. He received 250 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points and $77,000 in prize money.

Having only returned from a right knee injury in mid-June last season, former World No. 6 Simon was pleased with his improved form.

“In tennis it's always a matter of confidence,” said the Frenchman. “I could see tonight I was playing very nice tennis, but I played some bad games at the beginning of the second set. I wasn't doing it two years ago. I think it will come back with the match and with the victory. So that's why it's very good to win here.”

Breaks were exchanged early in the first set before Simon earned four set points on Troicki’s serve in the 10th game. The fourth-seeded Troicki managed to pull through his service game, but his resistance crumbled in the 12th game as Simon converted his sixth set point to win the opener.

Troicki raced to a 3-0 double break lead in the second set. He could not maintain his advantage, though, as Simon reeled off four straight games. Troicki broke again in the 11th game to serve for the set, but Simon again fought back to level and the Frenchman clinched victory in the deciding tie-break in just under two hours. 

“We were playing very nice tennis from the baseline, and it was a real fight,” reflected Simon. “I'm just happy to win it, because Viktor is playing better and better week after week. That's very good for me to be feeling now, because I know that he's playing good and I know that I'm able to defeat him even when he's playing good. So it's good for my confidence.”

Victory for Simon marked five wins out of five for the Frenchman against Troicki and went some way to avenging France’s loss to Serbia in the Davis Cup final last month, when Troicki won the deciding fifth rubber against Michael Llodra.

Simon goes into the Australian Open unseeded and will face Yen-Hsun Lu in the first round, with a likely meeting with defending champion Roger Federer in the second round.

The No. 30-ranked Troicki was chasing his second ATP World Tour title from his fourth final; he won his maiden crown in Moscow (d. Baghdatis) last year. The Belgrade native, who opened the season with a quarter-final showing in Doha (l. to Federer), will face Russian Dmitry Tursunov in the first round in Melbourne and could test World No. 3 and countryman Novak Djokovic in the third round.

“Right now I feel bit disappointed, but definitely it was a good week,” admitted Troicki. “Also a good match tonight. I feel I had a lot of chances that I didn't use, and obviously Gilles doesn't suit my game. For the past five matches already I haven't been able to figure out how to win a set.

“I hope I continue to play good in Melbourne. I play my first round already on Monday. I hope I get ready for that match.”

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis … Title.aspx

AO 2011 - wywiad po porażce w 2 rundzie

Q. Well played. Did you feel you were really going to win that match at some stage, especially when you came back to two sets all? Did you feel you had it in you to win?

GILES SIMON: Yeah. I was playing to win. Of course. At the moment, I had the impression that I was playing just a little bit better than him.

Finally, at the beginning of the fifth, he played a very good game. I think we were 1 All, Love 30 on his serve. Then he played four good points in a row. Two from the baseline and two aces. He started to be better on his serve and on the second shot. It was harder after.

I think he played a great match also.

Q. What did you think made the difference from the first two sets? He looked in control for most of that time. Did he lift your game or did you drop off a little bit?

GILES SIMON: Well, you need time to get used to his game. It's going fast; he's moving fast also. He can play one forehand for me, and the other one the same. It's just impressive.

There is not too many players able to play this level, so it feels a little bit strange. You just look at the ball, and you have yeah, you have the impression that you cannot do anything at the moment.

But the thing also is I was doing one mistake every game on my side, and I was just thinking about not doing it anymore. I just wanted to play my match. I was feeling good. I had also the impression that I could do better than that, a little bit better.

Finally, managed to come back. But not enough.

Q. Did you get a little tired right at the end?

GILES SIMON: Yes, I was tired. I had to run everywhere for three hours. There is not too many players who can play longer than me, but Roger is one of them. He was moving still very fast until the end. Maybe that's why it gives the impression that I was dropping down a little bit. But I was still feeling good.

Q. Even though you lost, you got to take some positive out of that to push a player of that quality, especially after injuries and so on you've had over the last couple years.

GILES SIMON: Well, of course it's good to play this kind of match. At the Australian Open it's almost better. The problem is I lost second round, and tomorrow you will forget it and I will have to work for the next tournament. It will be different.

I'm just sad that I had to play Roger this soon in the tournament. I was feeling good. I was hoping to play a very good tournament, but the draw was tough. Even with a very good match from me, it was not enough.

Q. You have been up to 6 in the world. You must be thinking you're on the right track to get back to where you were, if not higher.

GILES SIMON: At the moment I'm feeling better. I can move as I want and it's good for my game. The thing is I'm not seeded anymore so I have to come back as soon as possible with the ranking, because the three slams I played since I came back, I played Andy third round in Murray in Wimbledon; Rafa third round in the US Open, and now Roger second round. It's hard to win every time.

Q. What do you think it is about your game that causes Roger so many problems? He's had problems against you, particularly your forehand. He seemed to be really surprised by it.

GILES SIMON: Well, I think that he is playing so well. And when I played the two first sets, I had the impression that I am so bad, because I cannot do anything. I feel like he's in control, he can do whatever he wants. At a moment, I just think, It's enough. I have to do something. I have to hit everything and take some more risks.

It's not easy when you play some other players with, I mean, same level. It's always fight, four games all, five games all, so you never want to give the easy point.

But against Roger and he wins 6 3, 6 2, one hour, you cannot do worse than that. Even if you missed everything, it's 6 0 and it's done.

So I have to up my game a little bit. I feel that on the court, and that's why I'm playing my best match against him.

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/new … 57428.html

RG 2011 - konferencja po zwycięstwie w 1 rundzie.

http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multi … 000e4.html

Road to RG

http://video.eurosport.pl/tenis/roland- … vid181071/

RG 2011 - konferencja po porażce w 4 rundzie.

http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multi … 001f1.html