Simon avoids shock exit

Bulgarian teenager Grigor Dimitrov was two points away from shocking Gilles Simon at the Marseille Open on Tuesday.

Second seed battles back from the brink to beat Dimitrov

Bulgarian teenager Grigor Dimitrov was two points away from shocking Gilles Simon at the Marseille Open on Tuesday. The 17-year-old was leading 6-4 5-4 and was 30-0 on his own serve against the second seed before Simon rallied to seal a place in the next round. Simon, a Masters Cup semi-finalist, finally came out on top 4-6 6-3 7-5 after two hours and eight minutes to book a place against Germany's Rainer Schuettler - a straight sets victor over French qualifier Laurent Recouder - in the second round. Dimitrov was handed a wildcard to the competition after he took a set off world number one Rafael Nadal in Rotterdam - and he proved he could have a bright future after taking Simon all the way. Former world No.1 Marat Safin is out of the competition after he lost 4-6 6-3 6-2 to Frenchman Arnaud Clement. Seventh seed Safin fired down 18 aces, however he was unable to match Clement's play from the baseline. Clement, the world No.78, will now take on Germany's Mischa Zverev in the second round.