Roger Federer beats Gilles Simon to win Shanghai Masters

Roger Federer kisses the Shanghai Masters title

Roger Federer beat Gilles Simon 7-6(6), 7-6(2) to win his first Shanghai Masters title and continue his fine run of form in the second half of 2014.

Federer served solidly in the first set with a first serve percentage of 70%. But he was still broken early through some deceptively powerful groundstrokes by Simon, who on his part was defending his second serve brilliantly.

Despite putting in less than 40% of first serves in play, Simon had the first set on his racquet, serving for it at 5-4. But a combination of nerves and some fine returning by Federer saw the Frenchman broken to bring things back on an even keel.

The Swiss then had a couple of set points at 6-5, but Simon find some timely first serves to send the set into a tiebreak. Federer had managed to convert just one out of four break chances in the set.

Both players had chances to close out the set with Simon getting a minibreak lead at 3-2 and then Federer at 5-3, but they headed into the second changeover with the score dead even at 6-6.

On his third set point with Simon serving at 6-7, Federer’s experience came to the fore as he held his nerve to take the set 8-6 in the breaker.

Simon continued to struggle with his service accuracy, making only 50% of his first serves. But he managed to hold serve all through the second set, saving three break points. The Frenchman even had a couple of set points when Federer was serving at 5-6 (15-40), but he squandered both, ensuring that another tie-breaker would decide the second set.

This time Federer was completely in charge, eventually taking it 7-2 and with it the match, much to the delight of the visibly pro-Federer crowd.

This is the Swiss’ 23rd Masters 1000 title and second consecutive victory at this level, having won the Cincinnati Masters in August.