Richard Gasquet Sweeps Past Gilles Simon in Bangkok

Written by: Staff on 30th September 2012

Richard Gasquet Sweeps Past Gilles Simon in Bangkok

epa03415667 Richard Gasquet of France poses with a trophy after defeating his compatriot Gilles Simon in their Men's Singles final match at the Thailand Open tennis tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, 30 September 2012. Gasquet won 6-2 and 6-1. EPA/PONGMANAT TASIRI |

(Original Story: http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/09/39/Bangkok-Final-Gasquet-Simon-Title.aspx)

Richard Gasquet won his seventh ATP World Tour title on Sunday at the Thailand Open.

The second seed beat his fellow Frenchman and No. 4 seed Gilles Simon 6-2, 6-1 in Bangkok to earn $99,645 in prize money and 250 South African Airways ATP Rankings points.

Gasquet last won an ATP World Tour title in May 2010 at the Open de Nice Côte d’Azur (d. Verdasco). It was his second Asian title, following success at Mumbai in 2007.

“I played against a French player who is also my friend so of course it a little bit strange but for me it’s a title and I’ve had some tough matches this week so I’m very happy to win,” said Gasquet.

“The people here are very nice, the crowd was very nice. The night I played against [Grigor] Dimitrov it was late, but the people stayed and cheered for me so it’s more reason for me to come back next year and defend my title.”

Simon started strongly, breaking Gasquet’s serve in the opening game. But Gasquet broke back, then again at 4-2 and in the eighth game to capture the 30-minute set. Simon, the 2009 champion, won nine of his 23 service points.

Gasquet broke Simon for a 3-1 lead in the second set, then in hard-fought sixth game before closing out his 17th ATP World Tour final with a hold to 30 for victory in 69 minutes.

It was the second all-French ATP World Tour final of the year, after Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Gael Monfils in January at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha.

Former World No. 7 Gasquet is now 6-0 lifetime against Simon in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series and improves his chances of competing at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 in London from 5-12 November.

World No. 19 Simon, who beat Viktor Troicki in the final three years ago, won just 42 per cent of his service points in his 13th final (10-3 overall). He received $52,390 and 150 South African Airways ATP Ranking points.

“I was playing some of the best tennis I ever played yesterday [against Janko Tipsarevic] and today I just couldn’t play at all. Thierry [Tulasne] was here to watch, but it was our last week together so I really wanted to win.”

Topics: Bangkok tennis news, Gilles Simon, Richard Gasquet, Sports, Thailand Open