Gilles Simon is back in the quarter-finals at the Open 13 Provence. The Frenchman beat Slovenian Aljaz Bedene, who defeated Karen Khachanov earlier in the week, in the second round. Simon won 7/6(6) 6/4 in 1h51. He will now play in the Marseille quarter-finals on Friday, as he did in 2019 and for the eighth time in his career since his first appearance in 2005.
However, Gilles Simon had never beaten Bedene in three previous meetings. The Frenchman almost saw the match go wrong once again. The first set was a tie-break, but Simon was able to turn the tide and win the set with a powerful return. In the box reserved for the players' families, Carine, his wife, and their two boys could then cheer the two-time champion from Marseille, all relieved by the win of the first set.
28th victory in Marseille!
In the second set, Gilles Simon, winner of the Open 13 Provence in 2007 and 2015, broke early on, winning a few games later on his first match point. At 35 years of age, Gilou has now won for the 28th time on the Palais des Sports court.
" I am really happy because he is a complicated playerhe then explained. He is very hard to beat because he serves very well. He beat me in Metz and Vienna at the end of 2019 in similar conditions and when I was playing very well, which was rather worrying! "
With the support of the public, who have been behind him since his first match in Marseille in 2005 (his first on the circuit too!), Gilles Simon now hopes to continue his success. " When you are in France, in front of your public, you enjoy it even more! "he concluded.
In the quarter-finals, the Frenchman (58th) will face either Daniil Medvedev (5th) or Jannik Sinner (68th).
