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44K views 495 replies 54 participants last post by  lalaland 
#1 · (Edited)
(I never know where to post the random news, like the commitments, the exhibitions, etc.)

L'Equipe writes today that they invited him for one day yesterday, he took part to the editorial conference, etc. - but I have no idea what it means and what is the point for us. Was he on l'Equipe TV, maybe? :confused:
They just say that he was "studious", but "not very talkative for a change" because he found the news boring (it was all about the expansion of the Roland-Garros stadion, poor him). He said he's "in hibernation" and confirmed he will come back for Metz (I still don't get why he's playing there!) And he was all smile when he was asked about the Masters, means it's a great incentive for the rest of the season.

:shrug:
SIMON À « L’ÉQUIPE ». – Gilles Simon, vainqueur dimanche du tournoi de Bucarest, a répondu hier à l’invitation de L’Équipe. Pour une fois presque pas très causant ( « La guéguerre autour de l’extension de Roland-Garros, avec tous ces points à éclaircir, je vous accorde qu’il y a plus passionnant dans l’actu…»), il a assisté à la conférence de rédaction de manière studieuse. En phase momentanée d’ « hibernation » , le Français, qui a décroché en Roumanie son troisième titre cette saison, reprendra la compétition à Metz dans dix jours avant d’enchaîner sur Vienne, Madrid, Lyon et Bercy. Douzième à la Race, lancé dans la course aux Masters, il arborait hier un large sourire à l’évocation de cette fin de saison. « C’est quand même mieux de jouer avec cette carotte au bout ! »
 
#36 · (Edited)
He'll play his first match against Gicquel tonight at 7pm. It's on Sport+ in France.
(There was another change in his group, Ouanna plays instead of Mahut).

An interview in Le Parisien today:
« Dommage que les meilleurs ne soient pas tous là »
EN L’ABSENCE de Tsonga, Monfils et Gasquet, Gilles Simon, no 7 mondial, est la principale tête d’affiche du premier Masters France, qu’il commence aujourd’hui, à Toulouse, face à Marc Gicquel. De quoi sauver du désastre complet l’épreuve imaginée par Christian Bîmes, futur ex-président de la FFT, censée réunir les meilleurs Tricolores à un moment peu propice de la saison en offrant 80 000 € au vainqueur.

- Avez-vous hésité à vous rendre à Toulouse ?
- Gilles Simon. On sait que le public ne s’intéresse pas aux matchs d’hiver par équipes (NDLR : les Interclubs) où il y a pourtant de belles rencontres. En regroupant les meilleurs Français, les organisateurs voulaient recréer l’ambiance du National (NDLR : ancien Championnat de France individuel). On s’était engagés à y aller. Alors, à partir du moment où je suis disponible, la question ne se pose même pas. Evidemment, c’est dommage que les meilleurs ne soient pas tous là.

- Cela n’empiète-t-il pas sur votre préparation après une courte intersaison ?
- Je viens de faire quinze jours de travail foncier et jouer des matchs ne m’empêche pas de travailler. Faire un match par jour de deux sets, je devrais pouvoir encaisser ! De toute façon, sans ce Masters, j’aurais sûrement fait deux heures d’entraînement à Roland-Garros le matin et des points l’après-midi contre Jo (NDLR : Tsonga). Et on se serait « tiré la bourre » pour gagner…

- Quelle est l’utilité de ce genre d’exhibition ?
- Prendre des repères et tenter des choses qu’on n’oserait pas dans un autre tournoi. En 2009, je sais que je dois orienter mon jeu vers l’avant car il est important que j’arrive désormais à gagner en deux sets secs contre des joueurs à ma portée. Pour ça, il faut savoir s’imposer du début à la fin d’un match. C’est le genre d’objectif plus facile à mettre en place à Toulouse. Je vais forcer le trait quand ce sera judicieux…mais je ne ferai pas service-volée sur chaque point ! Ça ne sert à rien de jouer à l’envers.
Did he hesitate to got there?
- People don't follow the other event during the off-season (the Interclubs, a team event) although there are good matches there too [I do follow it!] So the idea was to have another event and they had committed to play. It's only natural to play then since he's available. Of course, it's too bad not all the best players will be there.

Won't it be detrimental to his preparation since he has such a short off-season?
- He had two weeks of condition training and playing matches won't prevent him from working on his game. He should be able to play a 2 sets match every day! If he hadn't played in Toulouse, he would have practiced 2 hours every morning in RG and in the afternoon they would have played mini-matches with Jo anyway and they do try to win the points then.

What's the point of this kind of exhibition?
- The idea is to have points of reference and try out things he couldn't try in other tournaments. He knows he'll have to be more aggressive in 2009 because it's important to start winning in straight sets against players he's supposed to beat. He needs to do it right from the beginning of the match. This kind of things are easier to put into practice in Toulouse. He will "exaggerate" it when he has an opportunity... but he won't play S&V on every point either! There is no point in turning his game upside down.
 
#38 ·
http://www.fft.fr/action/masters-france/?ID=4467
6-4 6-3 in 1:12, it says the start was a bit rough with 3 DF of Gilles in his first service game, but the match was quite spectacular then, he came back from 2-4 down and won 7 games in a row, playing some nice volleys in the process and as solid as usual from the baseline. He saved the 2 BP in the last service game with 2 nice winners and closed it out with another service winner.

And the "match suspended" on the scoreboard was actually just a toilet break taken by Gicquel after having lost 7 games in a row!
 
#39 · (Edited)
His audio interview:
http://www.fft.fr/action/masters-france/?id=4443
He means he played a very good match. As for the 3 DF at the beginning, the service is one of the things he's working on atm, so he knows he will make some DF, he has to accept it. Same for the netgame.
He had played only 2 sets in practice before the match, so he did "very, very well" under those conditions.
The journalist notices he played especially some "sneak approaches" today. He means it's indeed the kind of things he's trying to add to his game to have more weapons in the future. He probably played more of these shots today than he will in real matches because he needs to get used to them.
People say he has nothing to win playing in Toulouse, but that's not how he sees it. He's at a point of his preparation where he needs to start playing points anyway. "As for the result, we'll see".
The date of the Masters France is fine, the only problem is that they both played the Masters Cup with Jo. But he supports the idea of the event, they both had committed to it at the beginning of the year already, that's why Jo came extra for the clinic with the kids yesterday.
 
#40 ·
Le Niçois n'a repris la raquette qu'il y a 10 jours. Du coup, pour son entraîneur Thierry Tulasne que « Gilles n'est pas encore prêt ». « On est vraiment en cours de préparation. Il fait actuellement des modifications sur son service, pour obtenir plus de précisions et de puissance. » Autre travail en cours : un jeu davantage tourner vers l'offensive pour ce contreur hors pair. « Ces automatismes sont à mettre en place en compétition. C'est l'occasion. » Objectif 2009 : « Les Grands Chelem, les Masters séries et le classement ATP » résume Thierry Tulasne. « Le but est qu'il se maintienne dans les 10 premiers. Après, il ne se fixe pas de limites car il peut rivaliser avec les meilleurs ».
http://www.sudouest.com/accueil/spo...ml?L=0=91354a6036=a997d70970&cHash=eaa36739ed

He picked up the racquet again only 10 days ago and Tulasne clearly says that "he isn't ready". They're making some changes to his serve in particular, he's really just in the middle of his preparation.

He plays against Ouanna at 7pm again today.
 
#41 ·
After my tennis training tonight, I was able to watch Gilles's match on Sport+ (they have the channel in my club's lobby). I only saw the second set though.
Gilles didn't play as good as he would against top players, and yet he would still be very serene, except when he was serving for the match, quite typical though.. leading 5-3, letting Ouanna leveling at 5-5 all. Plus Ouanna had a wonderful opportunity to lead 6-5, he just had to push a ball, an yet he missed it.. Gilles was lucky on that one.

I heard Gilles speak on 'Agathe's mike' (I like this Agathe, she's a good interviewer for Sport+, have you heard her ?? Fran, Natsu, Soulage?).
He said that it was not an easy match (I'm sure he meant "not as easy as I expected"). He talked about his double fault at 5-4 (was it 5-4, not sure now). He said a photographer took a picture of him at that very moment, and it really disturbed him. He was angry and had to cope with a whole lot of bad emotions. However, he tried to think positive. He said that it was good that he had to face this kind of incident on court, before 2009.. He said all the matches are the same : you have to win them no matter what.

Then Agathe talked about the semis against Benneteau and Gilles didn't look so thrilled. He said that he expeced a tough match, but that it was handable (à sa portée, je ne sais pas comment le traduire). I'm sure there will be a lot going on on the court tomorrow.
 
#42 ·
Thanks! The summary on the FFT website also mentions he was pissed. They say it was the same in the first set, he was looking in control, got nervous when serving for the set and it sounds like he was quite lucky to take the first set then (Josse had a mini-break and then a SP in the TB).

I hate he has to play Bennet when he's obviously not ready yet.
 
#43 ·
His audio interview:
http://www.fft.fr/action/masters-france/?ID=4473

He means he was playing well, but lost his concentration in both sets when serving for the set.
He was also nicely surprised by Josse, he knows Josse can play very well since they've been training together for years and Josse always gives him a hard time in training, but he usually has trouble showing it in matches then, unlike today.

Coming to Toulouse he gives the others four chances to "shoot him down". But that's not how he takes it. He's confident in his tennis.
He played a lot of winners today, wasn't very good at the net, but served well, 15 aces is unusual for him.
He was upset at the end of the first set and that was his biggest problem today, he wasn't able to get over it.

Apparently he was hitting his FH well because he's asked about it and explains he has always had a very fast FH, but he isn't always able to show it in big matches, like at the end of the year, when he's too tense. But he tries to go for his shots on the FH wing in Toulouse because he loves that feeling: "when I hit one, I'm in a good mood for the next 2 games".
 
#46 ·
Oh please Rafa... Have you followed the whole Masters France story?

I don't like this event either, and I don't like he's playing it, but I can see why he didn't want to pull out like everybody else, especially after having committed to it at the beginning of the year.
Kudos to him for taking the risk to lose to Bennet, PHM & Co. playing this event even though he obviously isn't ready at all. I don't think he will enjoy it either.
 
#49 ·
Take this as part of his training. He made a good point when saying this kind of exhibition provides him opportunities to experiment new things he would hardly try in real matches. Besides, as someone who didn't seem to particularly enjoy playing against other Frenchmen, this is also a good opportunity to work "psychologically" on that aspect of the competition.
 
#54 ·
His audio interview, he sounds really lethargic!
http://www.fft.fr/action/masters-france/?id=4443
He keeps saying it was tough today to find the right motivation, to play well, to move on the court. He clearly didn't play as well as in his 2 other matches, he felt a bit tired after yesterday's match because he had also trained a lot before the match.
There was no intensity, even at 5-1 in the first set he wasn't playing well at all and it was just Bennet giving him too many points. That's why he wasn't careful enough in the 2nd set, it was really tough to get into the match today.
But he now knows how to win these matches when he isn't playing well, it's been one of his main improvements last year. Today was another example.

Must have been an ugly match! :lol:
 
#55 ·
His audio interview, he sounds really lethargic!
http://www.fft.fr/action/masters-france/?id=4443
He keeps saying it was tough today to find the right motivation, to play well, to move on the court. He clearly didn't play as well as in his 2 other matches, he felt a bit tired after yesterday's match because he had also trained a lot before the match.
There was no intensity, even at 5-1 in the first set he wasn't playing well at all and it was just Bennet giving him too many points. That's why he wasn't careful enough in the 2nd set, it was really tough to get into the match today.
But he now knows how to win these matches when he isn't playing well, it's been one of his main improvements last year. Today was another example.

Must have been an ugly match! :lol:

:speakles:



someone to shoot me.....................................:timebomb:
 
#57 ·
He plays Mika in the final tomorrow after Bennet-Paulo (start at 3pm).

He has never won a set against Mika.

so now is the time for Gillou to simply... "kick his ass on the final" !!! :lol:
:smash:


ALLEZ GILLOU ! ! ! :rocker::rocker::rocker:


 
#60 ·
Cornetto says in L'Equipe that Gilles is "really strange". :lol: But she can't wait for the Hopman Cup.
« Pour l’ambiance, c’est carrément super de jouer avec Gilles. Il chambre pas mal. Il va bien me faire ch… Mais ce n’est pas grave, on va essayer de se supporter. (Rires.) On s’aime bien, mais il a vraiment un caractère hyper bizarre et drôle. Je pense qu’on va bien s’éclater. »
“For the ambiance, it’s really great to play with Gilles. He teases quite a lot. He will certainly give me a hard time. But never mind, we will try to put with each other (she laughs). We like each other, but he really has a very strange, funny character. I think we’re going to have fun.”

Mika said that too when he was asked about Gilles like the entire French tennis after the Seb and Bennet comments - he said Gilles is "particulier" (a bit odd) and has a "special sense of humour", but he has no problem with him. He must really be a bit disconcerting sometimes. :p
 
#61 ·
Cornetto says in L'Equipe that Gilles is "really strange". :lol: But she can't wait for the Hopman Cup.
« Pour l’ambiance, c’est carrément super de jouer avec Gilles. Il chambre pas mal. Il va bien me faire ch… Mais ce n’est pas grave, on va essayer de se supporter. (Rires.) On s’aime bien, mais il a vraiment un caractère hyper bizarre et drôle. Je pense qu’on va bien s’éclater. »
“For the ambiance, it’s really great to play with Gilles. He teases quite a lot. He will certainly give me a hard time. But never mind, we will try to put with each other (she laughs). We like each other, but he really has a very strange, funny character. I think we’re going to have fun.”

Mika said that too when he was asked about Gilles like the entire French tennis after the Seb and Bennet comments - he said Gilles is "particulier" (a bit odd) and has a "special sense of humour", but he has no problem with him. He must really be a bit disconcerting sometimes. :p

:lol:


:p
 
#63 · (Edited)
The audio interviews:
http://www.fft.fr/action/masters-france/?ID=4483

Mika says it's just a little muscular problem. Not as bad as the injury he had at the end of the year (a problem with the nerve). The balls were too heavy and he really was in pain. He could only serve at 50-60% of his abilities in the 2nd set. But since he was playing very well otherwise, he was still able to break Gilles.
He says it was a nice event, everybody played the game and gave their best effort in his opinion.

Gilles says his attitude was really poor today. He played 2 good first matches, yesterday was not a good match, but at least he was ready to fight, while his attitude on the court today sucked, he was struggling to find his motivation. But since he hates to lose, he can always rely on a "sudden burst of pride" in the last moment.
He liked the event, he thinks the number of matches is perfect for a preparation tournament.
 
#64 · (Edited)
Another interview:
http://www.lequipe.fr/Tennis/breves2008/20081221_212848_le-sursaut-d-orgueil-de-simon.html

The beginning is like the audio interview.
He could have done much better today, it's his fault, he lost his focus for no reason when he was up 5-1.

He isn't worried about his condition for next year, he knows he has a great stamina. He is more worried about the fact that he couldn't practice the way he wanted. He really needs training slots of 2-3 weeks. He wishes he could have spent 3 weeks working on his netgame every day. That's more the problem for him than the condition training. For the rest he feels ready.

He can't improve much in his defensive game, so he has to improve in the other departments. His serve was not so good against Marco, good against Ouanna and Bennet, but really bad today, he now is able to hit more than 10 aces in a match, but he still is very inconsistent.

The few wins at the Masters France are good for his confidence, though, since he beat 3 players ranked in the top 50 and Josse who is better than his ranking. Always a good thing to be able to win against these players without playing well. He lost his focus against Bennet and Mika, but he felt more solid than them tenniswise, so it's encouraging.
 
#66 · (Edited)
He sure doesn't make a very fresh impression mentally for a guy who is returning from his winter break!

I do believe him when he says he has recovered better than most people think and he feels physically fit for the next season already. I don't think he needs long periods of progressive condition training like Richard or Jo, for example, who get injured more often, Jo also gains weight as soon as he stops playing and needs to get back in shape little by little then - Gilles doesn't have this problem and is used to play a lot, he always does during the off season when he isn't playing in Shanghai (the Interclubs), etc.
So I believe him when he says the shorter condition training shouldn't be an issue for him.

But he was supposed to do a lot of muscle building exercises for his upper body to have more strength for his serve, when did he find the time to do that? They always complain they can't do it when he's playing tournaments because it would be too hard on his body (Mika says he was not the only one to feel pain in the arm and Gilles also was complaining about it after a few matches in Toulouse, so he certainly has to cut down on the "body building" part when he plays these exhibition events).

It really would have been better for him to skip both the Masters France and the Hopman Cup imo to have more time to work on his serve and his volley and to relax mentally.

I think he also has too much scruples about withdrawing from French events, he plays these events even when he's in no shape to play them. He was really sick in Marseille this year, it was obvious he had a fever. Monte-Carlo was plain embarrassing, everybody else would have withdrawn. In Metz he wasn't ready yet, it was too early after the Bucharest title. In Lyon he was exhausted, I know it was for the Race too, but he also said he wasn't injured and hence had no reason to pull out. And Toulouse really came too early for him after Shanghai, he admits he would need 3 weeks of training. I don't think it was just for the money if he played there.
 
#68 ·
Yep, good thing he kept his fighting spirit but I was talking more about the emotional side of his attitude. I didn't watch any of his matches in Toulouse but from the comments I have been reading on the livescore board, he looked quite often irritated and frustrated which obviously didn't help his game. Watching him play in Madrid, I was really impressed by the way he handled mental tension and pressure, being relaxed and smiling while his focus was almost unshakable. It seemed he definitely reached a new step in this aspect of the game, so it was kind of a setback to see him throwing tantrums (and racquets) in Bercy or Shanghai, losing concentration (and eventually losing matches). Things didn't seem to have improved in Toulouse although he did win his matches.

@Fran : He used to say that playing matches was his prefered way of training although he knew that it would not be enough, that he had to consider a more professional attitude about training, physical fitness and all to become a better player; maybe he is trying to find some sort of a balance that would work for him ? Mixing what he likes and what he doesn't like to do?
I'm no expert on this field but as for the workouts bit, it can't be a matter of a few weeks, it has to be a regular exercise on a long-term basis to show some effectiveness. (Or so I am told. :p )
 
#72 ·
Sky Sports has been showing it in recent years,but they tend not to show it from the very beginning of the competition, and its never been live on there. They show it in the evenings, it has been a 3 hour slot usually 2 or 3 days into the tournament.

I love the Hopman Cup, its a brilliant idea:hearts: Gilles and Alize should have a lot of fun off the court too;) I know Perth,its a beautiful city:hearts:
 
#73 ·
News. (l'Equipe mainly)

Nicolas Mahut is injured (right shoulder injury) and doesn't know when he will come back on courts. Grosjean is injured. Llodra is injured. Clement isn't injured anymore, until the next injury, ha. Tsonga.. which half of 2009 will he pick ?? ha ha. The French team is quite funny. Gillou is the only one to be healthy, ha ha.

Mary Pierce won't retire unless she feels she has to. She doesn't "feel it" in her heart. In the meantime, she's devoting her time to prayers and god. (« Ma vie, c'est l'Eglise »). She suffers a whole lot when she runs. She can only play for a tiny amount of time (not more than 30 minutes)
I think this is it.
 
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