Gilles Simon - thunderstorm favorites

Gilles Simon - tennis player from France playing a consistently high stable level for more than ten years. He rarely entered the top 10 most powerful, but so far the Frenchman is uncomfortable opponent for any star. On account of his victory over such giants as Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer, Leyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick.

Style of play

Gilles Simon in their natural innate characteristics is far from being an athlete, able to take its due to physical force. Short, thin, he achieves results through his tactical skill.

A true professional Gilles Simon is developing a strategic plan for each match, building your game from the capabilities of a particular opponent and paying his own strengths against him. Prompt, sharp Gilles has nerves of steel and does not clear itself from the track.

His backhand is considered one of the best in the world, he is able to give the exact trajectory of the ball predetermined angles. At the same time, and the main forehand from the Frenchman in order. During the match, he alternates between powerful power punches with soft tactic to bring down the enemy from the pace and impose its own initiative.

Such tactical skill makes the tennis maestro Gilles Simon very uncomfortable opponent for many of the leading players. It is independent of the enemy and of the coating, and in ten years, Gilles Simon, not once beat tennis players of the top three. In 2008, he managed twice during the season to win the undisputed leader in those years, Roger Federer.

The beginning of the path

Gilles Simon was born in Nice in 1984, but grew up in a suburb of Paris - Fontenay-sous-Bois. Future professional tennis player grew up in a very educated family, my mother was a gynecologist, father - the insurer, and his brother worked as an engineer.

tennis Gilles became engaged six years, training up to 14 years in Fontenay. He then had the opportunity to seriously engage in activities in the federal sector Poitiers center. When good results Gilles Simon in the junior competitions were evident, the state even allocated a scholarship to further facet of this diamond tennis.

Intelligent young man has managed to learn how to play the piano at the conservatory, honing his skills on the training most of the time.

Gilles Simon was below their peers in adolescence, so it was greatly influenced by Michael Chang, also marked by enormous dimensions. From an early age he studied Gilles to win at the expense of speed and stealth, trying first of all to force the opponent to make mistakes.

The Best Years of

Frenchman began his professional career in 2002, performing for several years in a tournament series "Futures" and "Challenger". Prior to 2004, he managed to win enough small competition, and then started in the ATP tour.

The turning point for Gilles became a successful 2006. Unexpectedly for many little-known young tennis player he made his way through the qualification of the main tournament of the Australian Open and reached the third round. In the same season he was the tennis for the first time reached the final of the ATP tournament, which, coupled with previous achievements allowed him to soar in rankings and to finish the year at the forty-fifth place. With each season, Gilles Simon stepped up the pace, winning tournaments and went to 2008 in perfect physical shape. He started with a victory in the tournament in Casablanca, then once again succeeded in Indianapolis, where the beat in the final Dmitry Tursunov. In one of the matches of the season, he beat Roger Federer, who was considered invincible at the time, that was a sensation. At the end of the season Gilles Simon chalked up another giant defeated, beaten in front of the Spanish public heartbroken her favorite Rafael Nadal.

These feats have allowed the Frenchman to enter the top ten tennis players, as well as take part in the final tournament, where he is the second time this year and defeated Roger Federer reached the semifinals.

In recent years,

2008 was a peak athletic performance Gilles Simon. After that, he moved a little by the wayside, having taken off from the top ten strongest. Intervened in the case of injury, propped up young and hungry to win the competition.

In 2010, he was forced to take a break in his career, to heal a shoulder injury.

After rehabilitation Gilles Simon continued to perform at a high level. He won titles ATP, reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. Showing stable high level, Gilles resides within the second or third strongest dozen today.