Gilles Simon secured a five set victory over countryman Gael Monfils under the centre court roof to conclude play on day 6 at Wimbledon 2015. The Simon-Monfils match began on court 1, but due to it’s late start (after 6 P.M. local time) after three sets, play was moved to centre so that they could finish the match and complete the round of 16 matchups with the middle Sunday break looming.
In that match, Simon and Monfils traded sets 3-6 6-3, and then Simon took the third 7-6 (8-6 in the tiebreak) before the switchover. Both players played their trademark defensive tennis, even on grass, as Simon was the steady baseline rallier, and Monfils mixed baseline defense with the occasional charismatic flair, as he provided his own fourth of July fireworks for American fans watching at home and on television.
Monfils was quicker to adjust to the change of scenery, as fans piled into the free for all seats on centre court, as the tournament allowed anyone on the Wimbledon grounds to sit anywhere they wanted for the conclusion of the match in a nice gesture to the loyal fans who were staying late (except the royal box of course). Le Monf broke early and took the fourth set 6-2, but he lost all his momentum in the fifth, and appeared exhausted as Simon pushed through to take it in five sets 3-6 6-3 7-6 2-6 6-2. Both of these players tend to play five sets, and while Monfils jumping volleys were fun, it’s not the most reliable way to play tennis, and Simon had more energy to finish the match ahead of the 11 P.M. curfew.
Besides that thriller, two more five setters were complete on Saturday. Marin Cilic concluded a five set win over John Isner 12-10 in the fifth, the match was knotted at 10-10 before play was suspended on Friday night due to the dying light, and Cilic was aided by some favorable line calls to hold, and then get quick break before either player could break into a sweat. The quick conclusion will aid Cilic’s recovery and improve his chances going into the round of 16, as a long match for two days running could have destroyed his chances to advance further in the tournament. Isner has still failed to reach better than just a lone Grand Slam quarterfinal in his career, as Wimbledon was another disappointment for the man who is still the American #1.
James Ward kept British fans believing for another five sets, but the journeyman hero was ousted by Canadian Vasek Pospisil 6-4 3-6 2-6 6-3 8-6. Ward hit plenty of pleasing shots but Pospisil’s great serving carried him into the second week of a slam in a little over 3 hours of match time. The first two sets featured just one break each (Pospisil broke in set 1, and Ward broke in set 2), Pospisil was broken twice more in set three, but Ward couldn’t seal the deal in the 4th. He generated zero break point chances in sets 4 and 5, and was broken late at 7-6 in the 5th, giving Pospisil the opportunity to serve it out, an opportunity he didn’t pass up.
As for the other journeyman hero, the serve and volleyer Dustin Brown, he couldn’t repeat his fantastic performance against Rafael Nadal, and fell in four sets to Serbian Viktor Troicki, who is now into the round of 16 and has had an excellent grass court season. Troicki won 6-4 7-6(7-3) 4-6 6-3 as his game was a better matchup for the recklessly aggressive style of Brown than Rafa’s topspin game was. Dreddy will now take his talents to German Bundesliga tennis for a few weeks, as he still grinds his way through life on the pro tennis tour.
Unlike Isner and Brown, big server Ivo Karlovic did find success, upsetting Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6(7-3) 4-6 7-6(7-2) 7-6 (11-9). Tsonga, who was faced with a difficult draw, couldn’t reach the second week as he played poorly in the three tiebreaks he faced against Dr. Ivo. He had two set points in the final tiebreak to force a fifth set, but failed to convert, and a relentless Karlovic was the one to stay alive. Karlovic was broken just once in the match (set 2) and faced no other break points in a classic performance for him.
Sam Groth tried to win in similar fashion as the good doctor, but Roger Federer foiled him 6-4 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-2. Federer got off to a crisp start and was rolling through the first two sets with ease, but Groth fought back hard in the third as the Federer level dropped a bit. The physically imposing Groth gave it his all and came away with a set, but Federer wasn’t going to give him a chance at 5th set, and pulled away in the fourth with a mix of controlled aggression and quality serving, fighting off any concerns of fatigue as the veteran champion can now rest going into his next match on Monday
Tomas Berdych and Roberto Bautista Agut both had relatively easy times against underdog opponents, the Czech #1 and former Wimbledon finalist beat Pablo Andujar 4-6 6-0 6-3 7-6(7-3), as the surprisingly hot start of Andujar, normally a clay courter, fizzled and went on to not amount to much. RBA beat the little known Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili 7-6(7-4) 6-0 6-1, as the qualifier, who will now be ranked inside the top 150, was out of gas after the first set.
Last but not least, Andy Murray fended off some touchy moments with his shoulder and beat Andreas Seppi 6-2 6-2 1-6 6-1. Murray played a poor fourth set with the shoulder nagging him, but an injury timeout fixed matters, and Seppi lacked the power to threaten Murray on serve or return otherwise. The UK #1 remains in the hunt for the title, and he’s now the last British man remaining in the singles draw, not that that comes as much of a surprise. Manic Monday promises to once again be something special, so rest up and get ready for some great action in less than 48 hours.
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