"He's the guy who ruined my career the most," Gilles Simon reflects on his rivalry with Andy Murray
ATP
Former world No. 6 Gilles Simon spoke about his
experience facing Andy Murray throughout his career, describing him as an
"ultra-competitor," even more so than his contemporaries Roger
Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
The French ex-tennis player analyzed his
challenging rivalry with the former world No. 1. Murray is the player he faced
the most in his career (19 times), but ended with a poor record of 3-16 (15%)
against the Brit between 2007 and 2022. Additionally, the 3-time Grand Slam
champion achieved 12 consecutive wins over Simon across 8 years.
Murray to bid farewell at Paris 2024 Olympics
It is only a matter of days before Andy
Murray’s retirement is finalized at the Olympic Games. The double gold medalist
in 2012 and 2016 announced that his last event will be in Paris 2024, starting
on July 27. Murray is in the singles draw and doubles with Dan Evans.
The former Wimbledon quarterfinalist recalled
with L’Equipe his painful experiences facing Murray, who dominated most of
their encounters and eliminated him several times in crucial tournament stages:
"He's the guy who ruined my career the most," Simon told L'Equipe.
"I lost my first Masters 1000 final against him (Madrid in 2008), a
quarter-final in Melbourne in 2013, a Davis Cup semi-final at Queen's (in
2015)."
The player who defeated Gilles Simon the most
on the Tour was precisely Andy Murray. Simon is one of the most successful
French players in the Open Era, ranking fourth in titles (14), only behind
Yannick Noah (23), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (18), and Richard Gasquet (16).
Additionally, he is third in the number of victories with 504, behind only
Gasquet (580) and Gael Monfils (525).
Gilles Simon played his last final in the ATP Tour at 2019 Queen's Club Championships. He was defeated by Feliciano Lopez.
"He became the player I wanted to beat the
most,” Simon added about Murray. “I studied him a lot on the field. Because he
bothered me too much, in terms of his game but also in his attitude. We got to
annoy each other, we played matches where we told each other about our lives!”
"He was ready to die on the court. He is
an ultra-competitor, perhaps even more than (Roger) Federer, (Rafael) Nadal,
and (Novak) Djokovic. He was ready to do anything to win, whatever the way,
good or bad."
At least Simon has the consolation of having
achieved a win in their last match, in the first round of the 2022 Paris
Masters. That was Simon’s last tournament as a professional, where he then
defeated the 9th seed Taylor Fritz in the second round, but ultimately fell in
the Round of 16 to Felix Auger-Aliassime (8th seed).
"Andy is much more talented than we think" - Gilles Simon
The 39-year-old Frenchman highlighted Murray’s
decision-making ability and mentioned that the Scotsman’s talent is often
underestimated: "He always found a solution," Simon continued.
"He was constantly looking for one and often ended up finding one.
Whatever his choice, he always had full awareness of what he was doing. As he
is intelligent, every time it fell right.
"Andy is much more talented than we think.
One of the most gifted we've ever seen. As he was above all a solid player, who
ran everywhere and made no mistakes, he was labeled as needy. But we make a
capital mistake by systematically associating talent with a flamboyant style of
play."
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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