Simon still on course for Finals with Lyon win
LYON, France (Reuters) - World number 12 Gilles Simon was still on course for a World Tour Finals spot after thrashing fellow Frenchman David Guez 6-1 6-2 in the second round of the Lyon Grand Prix on Thursday.
Second seed Simon, who still has an outside chance of qualifying for the season-ending tournament in London next month, raced through the opening set.
He broke decisively in the sixth game of the second set to clinch a straightforward win.
"It was much better than yesterday, I was more focused," Simon told reporters. "I am very happy with my game, I am much better from the baseline. I served well, I moved better."
Third-seeded Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia was the only non-Frenchman to reach the quarter-finals when he beat German Nicolas Kiefer 6-3 3-6 6-3.
Top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga served 13 aces in a 6-3 6-2 victory over Belgian Olivier Rochus.
However, the world number eight has nothing to gain in Lyon in the battle for the two places available in the World Tour Finals. He has already scored maximum points in that category of ATP 250 tournaments after wins in Marseille and Johannesburg.
Veteran Arnaud Clement saw off seventh seed Benjamin Becker of Germany 6-4 6-3.
(Reporting by Eric Salliot, writing by Julien Pretot in Paris; Editing by John Mehaffey and Ken Ferris)
