Roddick Out, Radek In, Murray Through to Semifinal
 
November 12, 2008 -- At the Indianapolis Tennis Championships this year, Gilles Simon told the press that he wanted to end the season ranked 15-20. To do that he had to play beyond the quarterfinals of a hard-court event, and win.
 
"I need my first hard-court title," he said, emphatically.
 
Simon was known as a "clay-courter." Red clay was a comfortable and familiar surface he had grown up on in France. The hard courts of America posed a challenge for the slightly built Simon some friends had nicknamed Poussin, French for "chick." Indianapolis was his chance to work toward his goals. He came here to prepare for Toronto, which was the following week. If he did well in Indy, with its heat and humidity, his confidence would buoy him in Canada -- a Masters Series event. Simon went way beyond his expectations at Indy. He won the title, and hoisted the trophy as his parents applauded from the stands. Simon was off to a good start.
 
Obviously, by now everyone knows that Gilles has far exceeded his earlier goals. He has made it to Shanghai for his first Tennis Masters Cup competition; he will finish the year in the top ten.
 

The elite eight of the 2008 Tennis Masters Cup:
(l to r) Nikolay Davydenko, Gilles Simon, Andy Murray (seated), Novak Djokovic,
Roger Federer (seated), Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, and Juan Martin del Potro.
Not pictured is Andy Roddick, who was replaced today by Radek Stepaneck.
(Photograph by Quentin Shih courtesy ATP.)