Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon will look to take care of business when the top two seeds contest quarterfinal matches on Friday in Montpellier. They are set for respecting meetings with Jerzy Janowicz and Steve Darcis.
(5) Jerzy Janowicz vs. (2) Gilles Simon
Simon and Janowicz will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers when they clash in the Open Sud de France quarterfinals on Friday. Their only previous encounter came at the 2012 Paris Masters, where Janowicz prevailed 6-4, 7-5. That was during the Pole’s incredible run from just about of nowhere to the final. Fast forward more than two years and Janowicz is a much bigger name at this point but also an extremely inconsistent performer. Hard times in 2014 have sent him spiraling down to No. 44 in the world, but he at least advanced two rounds at the Australian Open and has done the same in Montpellier (saved six match points against Dustin Brown then beat Benoit Paire in three sets).
It has been a much more routine week for Simon, who got a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed before disposing of fellow Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-3, 6-3 on Wednesday. Simon struggled with a knee problem in Brisbane, but he won two matches in Melbourne and extended David Ferrer to four tight sets. This is not a good matchup for Janowicz unless he is serving incredibly well, which he was in Paris but is not right now. Simon’s consistency should ultimately break him down, even on an indoor hard court.
Pick: Simon in 3
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(1) Gael Monfils vs. (Q) Steve Darcis
Monfils’ 2015 campaign is off to a modest start, but at least he seems somewhat healthy. After playing no warmup events prior to the Aussie Open, the Frenchman recovered from a two-set deficit against compatriot Lucas Pouille before falling to Janowicz in five sets. He followed up a first-round bye in Montpellier with a 6-4, 7-6(3) victory over Kenny De Schepper on Thursday.
Up next for Monfils is a third career ATP-level meeting with Darcis. The world No. 20 has won both of their previous showdowns in straight sets; 6-4, 6-4 at this same Montpellier event in 2009 and 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 at the 2011 French Open. It has already been a stellar week for Darcis. The 125th-ranked Belgian qualified for the main draw before taking care of both Tatsuma Ito and Jarkko Nieminen in straight sets. In a battle between two of the tour’s most physically fragile players, Monfils should have more in the tank in the early stages of what has been an easy week.
Pick: Monfils in 2
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