Here we go again. 2013 Season begins...This year a new adventure for Gilles as he's going solo. Hopefully, he's healthy and ready. I'm preparing for another roller coaster ride as long as the ride isn't too bumpy for the stomach .
First stop, Brisbane.
(1) Andy Murray (GBR) vs Bye
Tatsuma Ito (JPN) vs Qualifier
Radek Stepanek (CZE) vs (WC) Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)
(8) Martin Klizan (SVK) vs Denis Istomin (UZB)
(4) Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) vs Bye
Julien Benneteau (FRA) vs Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)
Tommy Robredo (ESP) vs Qualifier
(5) Kei Nishikori (JPN) vs Marinko Matosevic (AUS)
(6) Florian Mayer (GER) vs Santiago Giraldo (COL)
(WC) Benjamin Mitchell (AUS) vs Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)
Qualifier vs Alejandro Falla (COL) (3) Gilles Simon (FRA) vs Bye
(7) Jurgen Melzer (AUT) vs Qualifier
(WC) Matthew Ebden (AUS) vs David Goffin (BEL)
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) vs Brian Baker (USA)
(2) Milos Raonic (CAN) vs Bye
Yeah, I really can't take much more of this version of Gilles because it's just way too hard to watch somebody capable of so much more be so far removed from their A game at the moment and listing to him rant to himself on the court. It's painful. I've literally just started multitasking during this match and doing some business stuff while listening to the commentary because I can't bare to watch.
Lots of comedy in this match though. He's constantly getting a sip of water between points led to the good laughs for the commentator who predicted that he'll need bathroom break between set. He's getting frustrated yelling at his box that led to the ppl in his box having a good laugh.....
According to the commentator, the guy at the left hit with him at warm up (and hit like a beginner), so they are guessing that must be his physio. The rest... no idea, just some ppl sitting next to his "supposed" physio.
If Simon can manage to raise his game just a little, I would think that even in this state he could win now because Klizan looks tired. But that's a big ask for Simon right now.
1 set all.
Klizan will need 2nd wind to stay competitive in the 3rd, though I got a feeling he'll get one, usually one hit the wall and get 2nd wind like 20 mins later, there's enough match left for him to get to that point, Gilles better put this match away while he can.
Simon has effectively chosen a different way to try and win this match. He knows he can't play at the level he would normally be able to play at and pretty easily handle Kilzan so he has turned it in to a war of attrition.
Klizan retired.
Well, credit to him for not folding after a set and break down, although he never does fold so it's expected that he fought back.
Not sure what to say about his game though, the groundies is still a awful mess, which we already know and sadly didn't see any improvement. It's not pretty, but he can only do with those means that's available to him and hope for better days. So good luck tomorrow, Gilles.
So I didn't see the Julien/Federer match but I imagine Julien was playing great so it's going to be tough for Simon tomorrow. Unless Julien has a major letdown I see him getting thru to the final unfortunately.
So I didn't see the Julien/Federer match but I imagine Julien was playing great so it's going to be tough for Simon tomorrow. Unless Julien has a major letdown I see him getting thru to the final unfortunately.
Julien played great. Only at the end of the second set he seemed nervous but after Fed got the break back, he played like he had nothing to lose on Rogers serve and got match points again.
Julien did say he hoped Gilles would get through so at least one French player would make the final.
I do think it's a shame that the last match of the day always gets treated like some inferior match. I could turn the sound on for the last part and there weren't even commentators. And center court is always half empty, they know this, it's the same every year. I always feel like the players who play this match deserve better. They are at an ATP 500 ffs.
My Benneteau prediction was right! Hahahaha just realized that. Glad Gilles won, even though it was a little uglier than desired.
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