Gilles Simon, who is 37 years old and competing in the final tournament of his career, defeated former world number one Andy Murray in the first round 4-6, 7-5, and 6-3. And much to the satisfaction of the Parisian public.
Whereas at the Accor Arena,
The retirement years will come later. There were plans for the ceremony to also recognize him. Gilles Simon was able to turn a potentially disastrous situation around when he was confronted with a Murray sailing on an extremely alternating current. However, retirement was just around the corner. The former world number six, who is now ranked 188th, was so trailing the Scotsman 6-4, 5-3 before derailing him and winning after two hours and fifty minutes of a humorous bout. Murray, who appeared to be experiencing some kind of physical distress, experienced a catastrophic air pocket in the second act, during which he lost four games in a row and ultimately conceded the match 7-5. In addition, the man who was close to retiring was successful in maintaining the advantage he had gained in the third game through the deciding round. In addition to that, he capitalized on three double faults committed by the player ranked 48th in the world to keep himself in the match and win the face-off against his rival. What sparked the interest of the crowd at the Accor Arena The “Guillou” and the “Guillou” both shot off.
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Always as good The Nicois, who was visibly shaken and holding a microphone in his hand, did not attempt to conceal his relief. “There are many different emotions that people experience today. Because playing tennis has been my life, this last week has been challenging for me. And it will come to an end. I always go into each activity, such as practicing my grips or going through my pre-game warm-up, with the mindset that it could be the last time I do it. Despite my best efforts, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed by stress. I would like to perform well. I did not get off to a good beginning. When the score was 3-0 against me, I admitted to myself that he had already destroyed my career and would continue to do so until the very end. However, this is also one of the reasons we adore him: he is a fierce rival who holds nothing back.
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It was the 19th time that the two men had met one another. The score was 16-2 against Simon. His most recent triumph over the Briton comes back to 2015. On the other hand, it was he who defeated Murray on Monday night, even though he wasn’t playing anything near his greatest game. Under the watchful eyes of his friends Gasquet, Monfils, and Tsonga, retired from Roland-Garros, installed side by side in the last row of the presidential stand, as well as his family and two coaches who counted in his career, Thierry Tulasne, and the ‘German Jan De Witt, he announced his retirement. In addition to this, Simon could always count on the unwavering support of the citizens of Paris. “Ever since I made public my plans to retire, I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone. I try my best in any situation. Everyone can be found here. My close companions and my loved ones. Those individuals who have been present from the very beginning. Both Gael and Jo made the trip here only to visit me. That is very thoughtful of Gael, who has recently become a father. For the final game. It looks like we’ll have to make another trip on Wednesday (laughter)”.
In front of the press, the weary Frenchman, who had drawn his features in concentration, stated, “It was a long day. It was not simple to get into the courtroom. At the beginning of the game, a lot of thoughts ran through my head. Some of them are included below. The game did not go very well. In the second, he experienced a decrease in his physical health. In most cases, the situation is completely different when he is present. The reputation of the marathon runner who is on the shorter side has been maintained. The Nicois will play the American Taylor Fritz, who is now ranked 11th in the world and is still in the running to earn a spot in the Master’s tournament at the end of the year, in the second round on Wednesday. To make the experience endure as long as possible. “It could be my last game. At the very least, there will be one more. In the subsequent round, it will be much more powerful against a massive server, which will prevent me from entering the match in time. I’m going to have to hold it together for another couple of days. At the very least, I will make it a point to take pleasure in the environment once more.