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Benoit Paire has always liked to play in Marrakech, reaching three consecutive quarter-finals before he went a step further in 2017 to make the semis before losing to Philipp Kohlschreiber. His good run in Morocco has ended today as the fellow Frenchman Gilles Simon prevailed 6-2 6-7 7-6 in 2 hours and 3 minutes, saving a match point on sere in the 10th game of the final set and beating Paire for the fifth time in eight matches and in all three encounters they played on clay. Paire served at only 48%, which usually means trouble for him, but he managed to get the most from his initial shot and overcome a slow start to stay in touch with Simon in sets two and three.
In fact, Gilles had to play against more break points, saving six out of 11 and seizing almost every opportunity that he gained on the return, breaking Paire's serve seven times from eight opportunities. Gilles kicked off the match in the stronger fashion, winning 12 out of first 14 points to forge a 3-0 lead against the rival who didn't look well on the court.
Nonetheless, Benoit recovered his shots to break back in game five after a poor forehand from Simon, reducing the deficit to 3-2. That didn't help Paire and he lost his serve again in game six with a forehand error, handing the set to Gilles after a double fault in game eight and the third break he suffered.
The second set turned into a feast of breaks and we saw six successful games for the returners in the opening nine games! Simon was 5-3 in front, serving for the win before Paire got the last-minute break to extend the duel and set up a tie break after two good holds.
The momentum was on his side and he used it well, scoring three mini-breaks and sending the match into a decider after a double fault from Simon in the last point. Benoit moved closer to the finish line with a break in the fourth game thanks to a lucky net cord but his advantage proved to be a short-lived one, getting broken in the following game after a smash winner from Simon.
They served better than in sets one and two and there was only one more break point before the tie break, in what has been the match point for Paire in game 10. Gilles saved it with a brave forehand attack and a volley winner, making a crucial hold after a wide forehand from Paire.
Benoit somehow kept his focus and he moved 5-1 in front in the tie break after Simon received a penalty point. The more experienced Frenchman managed to leave this behind him and return to the scoreboard after two mistakes from Benoit.
A forehand winner helped Gilles to level the score at 5-5 and he earned a match point when Benoit's forehand landed long. A deep return from Simon delivered the win for him, rattling off the last six points of the match to escape and emerge as a winner.
Richard Gasquet has lost the last four matches on the Tour, starting from the Montpellier final, and he came to Marrakech with a goal of shaping his form and finding the winning rhythm again before the first Masters 1000 event of the season in Monte Carlo next week.
A former world number 7 made a good start in Morocco, beating Thomas Fabbiano 6-1 7-6 in an hour and 27 minutes for his ninth win of the season. Three years ago in Rome Richard scored an identical win and today's came after saving three out of five break point and overcoming the second set deficit to close the match in straight sets.
Thanks to a very poor opening set, Fabbiano has lost more than 50% of the points in his games overall and he got broken five times from 11 break points he offered to Gasquet, unable to bring the second set home despite leading 4-2 and 5-4 with a break.
It was all about Richard in the first set, breaking in the opening game when Fabiano netted a backhand and converting the third break point in game three after a forehand error from the Italian. Gasquet fought off two break points in game four to keep his serve intact and he closed the set with another break in game seven, placing a running forehand winner for a 6-1 in 33 minutes.
Thomas raised his level in set number two and he broke at 15 in the first game when Gasquet's forehand finished way beyond the baseline. This gave him the momentum and he moved 4-2 in front with a service winner in game six, only to drop his advantage in game eight after a careless backhand that would cost him much in the rest of the match.
Richard was back on the level terms but his struggle didn't end there, losing serve at 15 after a double fault in the following game and allowing Fabbiano to serve for the set. The Italian couldn't endure the pressure, losing serve to bring the Frenchman back to 5-5 and setting up a tie break after two good holds on both sides.
Richard was the more determined player there, hitting a backhand winner for a 2-1 lead and the one from his forehand to gain a 4-1 advantage, getting closer to the finish line. A poor drop shot cost Thomas the next point on serve as well and there was no coming back for him, dropping the breaker 7-2 to send Gasquet into the next round. Monday's results: