Gilles Simon overcame a first set loss against Vasek Pospisil to win his first round match 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 at the Australian Open on Monday. The 14th seed Frenchman accomplished all three keys of the match in able to advance to the second round. He will face Russian Evgeny Donskoy in the next round.
Pospisil Wins Tiebreak To Take Opening Set
The two players last met in Cincinnati in 2014 where Pospisil got the win after Simon retired. In the first set, there wasn't much action as both players hold comfortably in most of their service games. Pospisil played to deuce games in two of his service games, but held at the end. The set went to a decisive tiebreak. Pospisil went down a mini-break after a backhand error during the first point of the breaker. However, the Canadian got the break back on the next point with a forehand winner. Pospisil would go up a break after Simon hit a backhand error. The Canadian rode the mini-break to take a 4-1 lead. Pospisil got yet another break after a volley winner in the net to go up 5-1. Set point came to Pospisil as the Canadian hit a deep forehand return that caught Simon off guard. That gave Pospisil the set, 7-6(4) in 45 minutes.
Even though the Frenchman lost the first set, he had more first serves in and won more points from it compared to Pospisil. However, the Canadian hit more winners with 15 compared to the two for Simon. Pospisil also hit eight aces to none for Simon.
Simon Wins Second Set
In the second set, Simon got two break points in the second game. Pospisil saved both of them with a great serve that the Frenchman can’t handle and a ball that clipped the net and stayed on Simon’s side. However, Pospisil hit back-to-back errors and Simon got an early break to go up 2-0. In the next game, the Canadian got his first break point after Simon double faulted at 30-all. Pospisil did not help his game as he hit back-to-back errors to give Simon game point. He then held serve to consolidate the break.
After holding serve, Pospisil called for a trainer on court and took a medical timeout. It didn't look like something was bothering the Canadian before that. The trainer appeared to be working on his lower back. After a lengthy timeout, play resumed and Simon held serve to go up 4-1 in the second set. Both players held their next service games before Simon served out the set without a problem in 52 minutes. The Frenchman continued to serve well, putting 69 percent of his first serves in, winning 79 percent of those serves. Simon only hit two winners compared to Pospisil’s 14, but the Canadian hit 14 unforced errors to Simon’s three. Most points that Simon won came from Pospisil’s racket.
Frenchman Continues to Dominate in Third Set
Before the start of the third set, Pospisil called out for the trainer again. In the first game of the set, Simon got three break points immediately. The Canadian saved two of the points, before sending a backhand slice long to give the Frenchman an early break. Simon consolidated the break comfortably in the next game. In the fifth game of the set, down 15-30, Pospisil sent a backhand long to give Simon two break points. The Frenchman would go up another break after Pospisil hit a forehand error.
Up 5-1, Simon got a set point during Pospisil’s service game after hitting a backhand passing shot. The Canadian saved the set point and would hold serve at the end. Simon closed out the set easily in the next game to go up two sets to one. Pospisil saw a dip in his first serves, only putting 40 percent in play and winning just 60 percent of those serves. Meanwhile, Simon continued to be consistent in his service game. Both players had five winners, but the Canadian hit seven more unforced errors than the Frenchman.
Simon Closes Match With Ease
The fourth set started with both players holding their service games. Tied 3-3, Pospisil hit a forehand error at 30-30 to give Simon his second break point of the set. After failing to convert the first break point during the third game, the Frenchman converted the break point this time with the help of the Canadian who netted a volley. That would seal the set and the match as Simon didn't give Pospisil any chance to get back into the set or the match. He closed out his first round match in less than two hours to advance to the second round of the Australian Open.
Overall match statistics saw Simon put 68 percent of his first serves in, winning 82 percent of those serves. Pospisil only hit 62 percent of his first serves in, winning 72 percent. The Canadian hit 45 winners and 55 unforced errors, while the Frenchman only hit 12 winners and limited his errors to 18.