Tired of the health situation, Gilles Simon decided to stop his career for a few weeks.
Quite discreet on social media, Gilles Simon is nevertheless creating buzz lately. The Nice native indeed released a short statement on his Twitter account: “No longer having the heart to travel and play under these conditions, I am unfortunately forced to take a break to preserve myself mentally. Hoping that my spirits lift as soon as possible. Thank you to all my loyal supporters for your support. See you soon.”
The player from the French Riviera is temporarily putting his career on hold, to everyone’s surprise. This Tuesday, he was still on the court. In the first round of the ATP tournament in Montpellier, the world’s 68th player was defeated by Austrian Dennis Novak, ranked 102nd (7-6 [5], 1-6, 6-3 in 2h34′ of play). Another underperformance for Gilles Simon, who was visibly frustrated during the match. But the issue runs deeper, and the Nice player has been struggling with results lately. In 2021, he has managed only one victory in four matches played.
As proof of these difficulties, the Nice native was heavily beaten in the first round of the Australian Open against Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, the world’s 6th player (6-1, 6-2, 6-1 in 1h33′). A question now arises. Will Gilles Simon return to the circuit? And if so, when? Now 36 years old, the player from the French Riviera is still capable of exceptional performances, but they are becoming increasingly rare. The coming weeks will be crucial for the future of the Nice native, who has been on the professional circuit since 2002.
