ROME — Gilles Simon of France took advantage of a few key double-faults by Jack Sock and rallied for a 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 win Monday in the opening round of the Italian Open. Sock was up a break in the second set until his usual commanding serve deserted him. The 12th-seeded Simon quickly leveled the set and then jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the tiebreaker with the help of two double-faults by Sock.
Simon, who has won 12 ATP titles in his career, broke late in the third and closed it out at love in the final game.
“I had a tough time finding my game,” Simon said. “If I play like that again I'll be out.”
Sock, a 22-year-old American ranked a career-high 33rd this week, appeared to lose energy as the match wore on and couldn't deal with Simon's consistency — committing twice as many unforced errors as the Frenchman (48-24).
With the temperature at the Foro Italico soaring above 25 degrees Celsius (nearly 80 Fahrenheit), fitness was key on the red clay courts.
Tenth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov also played cleanly in a 6-3, 7-6 (4) win over Jerzy Janowicz of Poland. Dimitrov had only 11 unforced errors to Janowicz's 31. A semifinalist last year, Dimitrov improved to 9-3 on clay this year.
John Isner, another big-serving American who is seeded 16th, eliminated Joao Sousa of Portugal 7-5, 6-3, and Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany beat Donald Young of the United States 6-4, 6-1.
Also 13th-seeded Sara Errani, last year's runner-up, used her consistency to wear down Slovakian veteran Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 7-6 (4).
In other women's play, 15th-seeded Madison Keys defeated Madison Brengle 6-2, 6-4. A semifinalist at the Australian Open, Keys served seven aces to Brengle's one.
Also, Swiss player Timea Bacsinszky upset 11th-seeded Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-0 and improved to 26-5 this year; Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia beat Sam Stosur of Australia 6-4, 7-5; and Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan eliminated Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 7-5, 6-1.
Former Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki beat Sloane Stephens of the United States 6-4, 6-1, and American qualifier Christina McHale overcame Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic 7-6 (5), 6-1.
In a matchup of two Italian wild cards, Karin Knapp beat 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-1. Murray a genuine
contender for Nadal's crown
Andy Murray ... French Open champion!
That notion would have been dismissed out of hand in years gone by but he will journey to Roland Garros later this month with many backing the Briton to go all the way.
Until last week he had never won a claycourt title.
But, after claiming his first in Munich, he headed to Madrid where he blazed through a tough draw before crushing claycourt king Rafa Nadal in the final.
A year ago Murray managed only six games in a semifinal defeat by Nadal at the French Open as the Spaniard rolled on towards a ninth title at the claycourt Grand Slam.
He also reached the semis in 2011, so his record in the French capital is not shoddy, but by common consent the red dust was not a surface suited to Murray's game.
Yet something has changed and with Nadal struggling, the 27-year-old could be the man to exploit the Spaniard's troubles, even if Novak Djokovic is now the favorite to win the title. British pundits shortened Murray's French Open odds significantly after his 6-3, 6-2 win over Nadal in Madrid, with Djokovic the favorite. — Agencies
