Thu Feb 14 16:10:09 2008

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Djokovic ousted by Simon in Marseille

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Marseille, France (Sports Network) - Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic lost to reigning Marseille titlist Gilles Simon in Thursday's second-round action at the $1.125 million Open 13 tennis event.

The unseeded Simon won his seventh straight match at this indoor event by stunning the top-seeded Serbian Djokovic in 6-2, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 fashion on the hardcourt at Palais des Sports. The French Simon pulled off the upset in 2 hours, 6 minutes with the help of eight aces and three service breaks.

The world No. 3 Djokovic, who failed to break Simon's serve even once on Thursday, captured his first-ever Grand Slam title last month in Melbourne.

Simon titled here a year ago by beating Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis in the finale. The Frenchman will encounter his countryman Paul-Henri Mathieu in Friday's quarterfinals.

Several other seeds avoided upsets here on Day 4, as No. 3 Russian Mikhail Youzhny handled France's Julien Benneteau 7-5, 6-3; No. 4 Brit Andy Murray fought back to top Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1; and a No. 8 Mathieu edged out his wild card countryman Michael Llodra 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5). Murray will meet France's Nicolas Mahut here on Friday.

Croatian wild card Mario Ancic strolled into the quarters with a 6-3, 6-2 pasting of Russian qualifier Teimuraz Gabashvili.

The 2008 Marseille titlist will collect $125,000.