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.
Benneteau was joined in the quarters by fellow Frenchman Florent Serra, who
upended eighth-seeded Spaniard Albert Montanes 7-5, 6-3 on Day 3.
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.
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