Madrid Masters (2nd Round)

Simon Dents Blake's Shanghai Hopes; Monfils Advances

Frenchman Gilles Simon, currently No. 12 in the ATP 2008 Race, strengthened his own Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai hopes and dealt a blow to those of No. 9 James Blake as he defeated the American 11th seed 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the second round of the Mutua Madrilena Masters Madrid on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old Nice native came into Madrid on the back of two first round losses in Metz and Vienna. However, the right-hander has a 42-22 match record and has titled three times on the ATP circuit this season, at Casablanca (d. Benneteau), Indianapolis (d. Tursunov) and Bucharest (d. Moya).

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No. 13 Fernando Verdasco’s hopes of qualifying for the circuit finale in Shanghai also took a hit as the Spaniard was beaten in the second round 6-2, 6-3 by Croatian Marin Cilic. The 20-year-old Cilic claimed his maiden ATP title at New Haven (d. Fish) prior to the US Open and was also a quarterfinalist at Masters Series Canada (l. to Simon). He improved to a 23-13 match record on hard courts.


"It is always more painful to be defeated at home." said Verdasco. "I have always said that this tournament is very special to me. Sometimes having a bye is a double-edged sword because you play against someone who has already played a match and you haven’t played any and in places like Madrid where, with the altitude you can feel its effects."

Cilic next will face fourth-seeded Scot Andy Murray, who was granted a place in the third round when Italian lucky loser Simone Bolelli retired trailing 6-0, 2-1 in their second round clash. The 21-year-old Murray, who won the first seven games in the match and dropped just one point on serve in the first set, is playing his first ATP main draw since reaching the US Open final last month (l. to Federer).

"I've been playing really, really well in practice in the last few weeks, better than I was playing throughout the summer, I was hitting the ball much better," said Murray. "I had a few nerves and the conditions are tough here. I was really happy with the way I served and moved."

Gael Monfils (pictured) won his first match in three visits to Madrid with a 6-2, 6-4 round one victory over Italian wild card Fabio Fognini.

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The Frenchman, who is ranked a career-high No. 18 after reaching his sixth ATP final (1-5 record) in Vienna last week (l. to Petzschner), improved to a 27-15 match record on the season. He goes on to face No. 12 seed Fernando Gonzalez.

Monfils was joined in the second round by Spanish qualifier Marcel Granollers, who knocked out Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 6-4. The 22-year-old Barcelona resident, who defeated Ivan Ljubicic in the final round of qualifying, improved to a 14-7 record, highlighted by capturing his maiden ATP title at Houston (d. Blake) in April. He next will meet French 16th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

"It's definitely going to be a tough match," conceded Granollers. "He is very strong, he has great drive and he hits the ball very hard. I'll try to play my game and do my best."

Finnish Jarkko Nieminen won his first match in Madrid since 2002 with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Russian Mikhail Youzhny in 1 hr., 53 min. Last week’s Stockholm semifinalist (l. to Nalbandian) improved to a 25-25 match record and set up a meeting with ninth seed Juan Martin del Potro.

World No. 31 Philipp Kohlschreiber (pictured right) ended home hope Carlos Moya’s campaign with a 6-2, 6-2 victory in 1 hr., 5 min to set up a meeting with No. 10 seed Stanislas Wawrinka.

"Starting with a break down every set is difficult, especially indoors and against a player like him who is very complete," said Moya. "He has been ahead all the time and when he is ahead he is a very dangerous player. The key was to get even to the end of each set and that is where he may lower his performance. But I didn´t have this chance."

The German converted four of nine break points and won 72% of points on serve to record his debut Madrid victory. The 25-year-old has a 29-18 match record, highlighted by winning his second ATP title at Auckland (d. Ferrero), finishing runner-up at Halle (l. to Federer) and reaching the Vienna semifinals last week (l. to Monfils).

American qualifier Robby Ginepri defeated Michael Llodra 6-4, 6-4 to reach the second round. The former World No. 15 (currently No. 63) will look to reach the third round of an ATP Masters Series event for the first time this year when he faces Nikolay Davydenko.

Sweden’s Robin Soderling, runner-up in Stockholm last week, also advanced, dismissing French qualifier Florent Serra 6-3, 6-4 to set up a meeting with No. 14 seed Ivo Karlovic.