Like the musketeers, the French will thus be four in attendance at the quarterfinals of the Nice Côte d’Azur Open tennis tournament. On the day’s program are Edouard Roger-Vasselin, Paul-Henri Mathieu, Gilles Simon, and Gaël Monfils, who will try to carve a path to the semifinals of the competition.
Edouard Roger-Vasselin will open the debates against the tough American Sam Querrey, who defeated Stakhovsky in the second round (6/2 6/3). The two men have never faced each other in an official tournament, but the French player, a finalist this year in Delray Beach, is in good form, as demonstrated by his victories in the first two rounds against Colombian Falla (7/5 Ab.) and then Lithuanian Berankis (6/2 6/2). This promising clash will start at 2 PM on a center court expected to be bathed in sunlight.
Next, it will be Paul-Henri Mathieu’s turn to take the court alongside Spaniard Albert Montanes, who overcame Romanian Hanescu in the previous round (7/5 7/6(2)). The only encounter between these two players dates back to 2007, with a victory for the French player in the clay court final in Casablanca (6/1 6/1). Since then, they have experienced varying fortunes and hold similar ATP rankings, 76th for the French player and 82nd for the Spaniard. Advantage goes to the Frenchman, who might well meet his compatriot Roger-Vasselin for a French semifinal showdown.
Then comes the eagerly awaited match between the local favorite, Nice’s own Gilles Simon, who will face Spaniard Pablo Andujar, conqueror of Hewitt in the first round (6/3 4/6 6/3) and Lu in the second (6/2 6/0). The Frenchman holds the upper hand in past encounters, with a victory in the first round of the Australian Open in 2009 (6/4 6/1 6/1). There’s no doubt Gilles Simon can count on full support from his fans, who will come in droves to cheer the Nice native towards the semifinals.
Finally, Gaël Monfils will face off against Dutch player Robin Haase at the end of the day, after having defeated Matosevic (6/1 6/4) and the giant American John Isner (6/4 1/6 7/5). A strong opponent, Haase, whom the Frenchman has defeated once before in the third round of the Barcelona tournament in 2011 (3/6 7/6 6/2). The Parisian likewise dispatched Colombian Giraldo (4/6 6/3 6/3) in the first round and tough Italian Fabio Fognini (6/2 7/6(5)) in the second. It’s hard to make a prediction, but like Gilles Simon, the Frenchman playing later can also rely on the crowd’s support.
Four Frenchmen for four quarterfinals, enough to dream of a final four in blue, white, and red…
Thursday, 23 May Schedule
Central Court starting from noon
J Brunstrom (SWE) / R Klaasen (RSA) vs M Elgin (RUS) / D Istomin (UZB)
No earlier than 2 PM
[3] S Querrey (USA) vs [WC] E Roger-Vasselin (FRA)
A Montanes (ESP) vs P Mathieu (FRA)
No earlier than 6 PM
P Andujar (ESP) vs [2] G Simon (FRA)
No earlier than 7:30 PM
[WC] G Monfils (FRA) vs R Haase (NED)
Results of Wednesday, 22 May
Men’s Singles
[2] G Simon (FRA) d [Q] G Rufin (FRA) 6/4 6/3
[3] S Querrey (USA) d [Q] S Stakhovsky (UKR) 7/5 6/3
R Haase (NED) d [4] J Isner (USA) 6/4 1/6 7/5
[WC] G Monfils (FRA) d [6] F Fognini (ITA) 6/2 7/6(5)
A Montanes (ESP) d V Hanescu (ROU) 7/5 7/6(2)
P Mathieu (FRA) d C Berlocq (ARG) 7/5 3/6 6/3
[WC] E Roger-Vasselin (FRA) d R Berankis (LTU) 2/6 6/4 6/2
P Andujar (ESP) d Y Lu (TPE) 6/2 6/0
Men’s Doubles
N Mahut (FRA) / E Roger-Vasselin (FRA) d [1] A Qureshi (PAK) / J Rojer (NED) 3/6 7/5 10/3
J Cabal (COL) / R Farah (COL) d [3] E Butorac (USA) / L Dlouhy (CZE) 6/2 3/6 10/6
J Brunstrom (SWE) / R Klaasen (RSA) d F Cermak (CZE) / M Mertinak (SVK) 6/3 6/2
M Elgin (RUS) / D Istomin (UZB) d [WC] P Andujar (ESP) / A Ramos (ESP) 6/4 6/4
