Shanghai Rolex Masters, China

Men’s Semifinal: [CR21] Feliciano Lopez (ESP) vs. [CR29] Gilles Simon (FRA)

Lopez could not mount enough resistance to gain another victory against  Simon. Simon has been regaining his confidence after his form had deteriorated due to injuries.  Simon is a consistent player, he is patient, and rarely beats himself. His success on court is directly related to his confidence in his ability to move and injuries had affected his movement and his timing, denting his belief in his game.  Now that he has recovered and is back in shape, he is finding his rhythm on his strokes, and making it difficult once again for his opponents.

Fatigue may have been a factor in the first set; however, Simon was the better player, striking the ball cleanly and moving Lopez around the court.  Lopez has the weapons, he hits the ball harder than Simon and plays extremely well at net, so Simon had to maintain his composure and his level of play.  Lopez got his serve and net game working and put up a lot of resistance in the second set; however, his burst of energy and concentrated focus completely deserted him in the tie-break.  Simon would even their head-to-head by winning this match, 6-2, 7-6(1).