Tennis: Simon beats Monfils in Bangkok

Gilles Simon reached the semi-finals of the Thailand Open 6-4, 6-1 as he defeated Frenchman Gael Monfils.

BANGKOK: Gilles Simon reached the semi-finals of the Thailand Open 6-4, 6-1 yesterday as he defeated Frenchman Gael Monfils, who was feeling the strain after missing four months due to injury.

The 2009 champion Simon has decided to go it alone without a coach in the hopes that he can jolt himself into improving his longstanding ranking, which has stalled inside the ATP top 20. The winner will play today against either top-seed Janko Tipsarevic or Spanish fifth-seed Fernando Verdasco.

“I tried to do my best on court as always.” said Simon. “I’ve known Gael for such a long time. He tries everything to win, but I was strong enough to beat him.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2012.