Roger Federer: Gilles Simon reveals the French Open 2009 tactic which led to historic win

This year’s French Open will be the ten year anniversary of Federer’s only win at Roland Garros.

And fittingly the Swiss star will play in Paris this year for the first time since 2015 after making the decision to compete during the clay season.

Back in 2009, Federer needed the French Open to complete the set of winning every Grand Slam.

The French Open had proven to be difficult for Federer to win due to the excellence of Rafael Nadal.

But that year, Nadal was beaten by Robin Soderling in the fourth round which opened the door for Federer.

The day after Nadal’s defeat, Federer took on Tommy Haas and was two sets down and facing a break point midway through the third set.

On that break point, Federer hit one of the most important forehand winners of his career and that proved to be the turning point as won the final three sets 6-4 6-0 6-2.

While at the Monte Carlo Masters this week, Simon was asked about his memories of Nadal losing and how it may have impacted on Federer in his match against Haas.

He told reporters: “Well, I have two main memories. First — well, three main memories.

“Well, when Rafa lost against Robin. This was something extremely important. It was important then, and then we saw how important this was afterwards.

“Because the following years confirmed that when he was around, things were more difficult. So this huge performance of Robin, that was memory No. 1, it came out of nowhere.

“Then Federer won afterwards against Tommy Haas and the match was really bad for him, he was very stressed. We could see little signs when he was overtaken by his opponent. He was losing two sets.

“And then that huge shot down the line that manages to fall into the court, amazing. And many other points, but that point I remember very well, because I think that was “the” point for the tournament, because he could have finished there.”

In the semi-finals, Federer was two sets to one down against Juan Martín del Potro but fought back to win again and reach the final.

And Simon opened up on his memories of watching Federer against the big-hitting Argentine and major change the Swiss star made.

He said: “Then he started getting confidence. And then semifinals against Del Potro, that was important because that was the first time I saw him changing tactics.

“I think that beforehand, he wanted to play his own tennis and win with his own tennis, but that was the first time I saw him changing tactics with lots of drop shots.

“And he had to change tactics, because probably he may have lost. So that Roland Garros in 2009 was very eventful.”

source: express.co.uk