Lyon, France (My Sportsbook) - French crowd favorites Gilles Simon, Julien Benneteau and Paul-Henri Mathieu highlighted Wednesday's winners at the Lyon Tennis Grand Prix. The second-seeded Simon was tested in his opening match, as he snuck out a 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5) victory over Italian Simone Bolelli on the indoor carpet at Palais des Sports Lyon Gerland. The fifth-seeded Benneteau reached the quarterfinals by besting South African qualifier Kevin Anderson 7-5, 6-2, while a sixth-seeded Mathieu posted a 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 opening-round victory over Argentine Leonardo Mayer. Mathieu won this event back in 2002. In some other first-round action, Belgian Olivier Rochus routed French qualifier Vincent Millot 6-3, 6-2 and tough German Nicolas Kiefer snuck past wild card and long-time French favorite Sebastien Grosjean 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-2). The fading Grosjean titled here just two years ago. On Thursday, top-seeded French star Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will meet the diminutive Rochus and Simon will take on fellow Frenchman David Guez in the round of 16. |
