Sensational Simon postpones retirement with win over Fritz in Paris, ending American’s ATP Finals hopes

Frenchman Gilles Simon postponed his retirement plans for at least another day as he produced another brilliant, logic-defying victory at the Paris Masters on Wednesday.

The 37-year-old, in his last tournament, beat Taylor Fritz, the No 9 seed, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 at the Accor Arena to reach the last 16 and end the American’s hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals.

The world No 188 clinched victory after three hours, six minutes and he will face Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, the No 8 seed, on Thursday. Andrey Rublev and Auger-Aliassime will complete the field for Turin.

“I have the feeling that I can play every match like if tomorrow didn’t existed, as the last one,” a jubilant, exhausted Simon said, after the crowd inside the arena had burst into La Marseillaise. Simon even needed a chair to sit on after the match, reminiscent of the Novak Djokovic-Rafael Nadal epic at the Australian Open in 2012.

“It hurts everywhere, more than ever. It was already the case at @rolandgarros. Literally ready to die. I must do that to have a chance.”

Inexhaustible Simon finds a way, yet again

Serving at 4-5 in the first set, Simon was 0-40 down on his own serve but saved all three set points, held and then broke Fritz to take the opener.

Fritz needed victory to stay alive in the race to Turin and won the second set to level. At 3-2 in the third, Fritz was pushing for a break but Simon held an epic game and then, at 4-4, snatched the break he needed before serving out for another famous victory.

“There are moments like the beginning of the third (set) when you think ‘it’s so hard, I’m so lonely, I’ll try to survive’. And you survive, you win a game, two… At 4-4, he also touches his leg. ‘Ah you too ?’ You look around, you see you’re not lonely. Thank you, you help a lot. I give all I have and you too!”

If it ends against Félix, then I’m okay with it.

Gilles Simon

In the previous round, Simon had needed two hours, 50 minutes to beat former world No 1 Andy Murray (4-6, 7-5, 6-3).

“Everything hurts, I’d need three months to recover”, Simon said, just before competing with the most dominant man on the Tour at the moment, Félix Auger-Aliassime, currently on a 14-match winning streak. “‘It’s an honour to play Felix tomorrow because he’s one of my favourite players”, Simon said for Eurosport. “In addition to being the world’s nicest guy. If it ends against him, then I’m okay with it. Now he had a tough match today also but I’m twice his age, so I guess he’ll recover faster.”

Paris Masters 1000, other second-round results (Accor Arena, EUR 5.415.410, most recent results first):

• Corentin Moutet vs. Cameron Norrie: wednesday in Paris
• Tommy Paul vs. Rafael Nadal: wednesday in Paris
• Pablo Carreno Busta vs. Denis Shapovalov: wednesday in Paris
• Holger Rune beat Hubert Hurkacz (10): 7-5, 6-1
• Grigor Dimitrov beat Fabio Fognini (LL): 6-0, 7-5
• Carlos Alcaraz (1) beat Yoshihito Nishioka: 6-4, 6-4
• Felix Auger-Aliassime beat Mikael Ymer (Q): 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (6)
• Alex de Minaur vs. Daniil Medvedev (3): 6-4, 2-6, 7-5
• Stefanos Tsitsipas (5) beat Daniel Evans: 6-3, 6-4
• Lorenzo Musetti beat Nikoloz Basilashvili: 6-4, 6-2
• Frances Tiafoe beat Jack Draper: 6-3, 7-5
• Karen Khachanov beat Marc-Andrea Huesler (Q): 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
• Casper Ruud (3) beat Richard Gasquet (WC): 6-1, 7-6 (7)
• Novak Djokovic (6) beat Maxime Cressy: 7-6 (1), 6-4
• Andrey Rublev (7) beat John Isner: 6-2, 6-3

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