Misfortune for Monfils; Gilles goes through
Monday 26 January 2009
By Vanessa Skendaris
Men’s world No.8 Gilles Simon has advanced to the quarterfinals of
Australian Open 2009, but not in the way he would have wanted. The Frenchman
will make his first final-eight appearance in a Grand Slam after his opponent
and close friend Gael Monfils was forced to retire with an injured wrist,
with Simon leading 6-4 1-6 6-1 at the time.
Simon clearly had mixed emotions after his win.
“Well, you never want to win like this. It’s already strange when it’s
another player. But when it’s a friend like Gael, it’s more difficult. I
have a quarterfinal to play in two days, and I have to focus on [that].”
In his post-match press conference with an icepack wrapped around his wrist,
Monfils, the world No. 14, said he doesn’t know exactly what his injury is
and how it happened, but confirmed his wrist is not in good shape.
“Exactly I don’t know, but like I think I twist[ed] my wrist. I don’t make
like an exam[ination], but my wrist is not very good.”
Simon, the No.2 Frenchman behind Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, missed an opportunity to
score the first break in the opening set. Monfils saved two break points in
the fourth game; one rally which lasted 45 shots was reflective of what was
to come later in the set.
After exchanging breaks of serve in the next two games, Simon broke again
when Monfils double-faulted to grab a 5-3 lead. He secured the first set in
53 minutes with a cross-court forehand winner.
The second set changed complexion; there were no lengthy rallies to be seen
as Monfils came out with all guns blazing, breaking Simon twice and sprinting
to a 4-0 lead.
Monfils, a French Open semifinalist in 2008, was unstoppable, producing
extraordinary speed off his racquet as he hit nine winners to ultimately
close out the set in 32 minutes.
In the third set, Simon turned the game around, breaking Monfils twice as he
dashed to a 5-1 lead, hitting 11 winners to Monfils’ meagre three. Simon
looked slick, unleashing his crafty groundstrokes and smooth volleys at the
net which were absent in the previous set.
Despite receiving treatment on his right arm at 1-4 down in the third,
Monfils admitted that he began to feel pain at 0-3.
“[It] happen[ed] during the game slowly. Then like when I really feel it was
at 3-1 for Gilles. I mean it was maybe 3-0 I serve, that service game, then I
start to feel it like very heavy. Then I asked the physio. I was thinking
maybe it was on my head. Then I say, I feel it. I ask the physio and finish
[the match].”
After going down in the third set, it was clear Monfils’ wrist was troubling
him as he consulted the trainer again. Courageously, he made an attempt to
contest the fourth set but retired after playing the first two points of the
opening game.
Simon is scheduled to play world No.1 Rafael Nadal or world No.13 Fernando
Gonzalez in the round of eight. The 24-year-old Frenchman defeated Nadal in
the semifinals of the Madrid Masters in 2008 but trails him 2-1 in
head-to-head meetings. He also trails Gonzalez, who beat him in their only
previous encounter in 2006. Asked who he would prefer to play, the bashful
Frenchman wasn’t shying away from a meeting with the world No.1.
“I think I prefer to play against Nadal. I prefer to play the No.1 always,”
he said.
Quick facts
Simon hit 29 winners to the 21 recorded by Monfils
Simon had 36 unforced errors; Monfils had 31
Monfils was 10-for-17 (59 per cent) on points where he approached the net,
while Simon won the point on 25 of his 38 forays to the net (66 per cent)
Monfils had the fastest serve of the match at 212km/h
Rod Laver Arena - Men's Singles - 4th Round
Gael Monfils FRA (12) 0 / 4 6 1 Retired
Gilles Simon FRA (6) Winner 30 / 6 2 6
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