Gilles Simon has successfully defended his BCR Open title with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Carlos Moya, becoming the first player in the 15 year history of the event to do so.

The Frenchman looking surprisingly fresh after his 3 hour toil with Jose Acasuso yesterday, held off a total of 4 break points against him in the opening set and took advantage of a break of serve in the sixth game when Moya netted an attempted backhand pass.

Simon closed out the set on serve and then looked the more dominant player in the second set as Moya continued to miss break point chances. After failing to convert two break point chances in the fourth game, Moya dropped his serve in the seventh game when his sliced backhand drifted wide.

Simon serving for the title at 5-4 set up match point with a glorious forehand crosscourt winner and clinched the title once again with a spectacular off-backhand winner and a cry of ''Allez!''

''I played a very good game, as good as the first three rounds'', Simon said. ''Today I had great sensation again from the baseline, I was so confident and I played my best tennis for sure.''

Simon's fitness was the difference today as he showed no ill-effect from his long match the previous day.

''It was okay because I only had one tough match and I know that I can play 2 or 3 matches in a row like this'', Simon explained. ''Just one match after such a tough contest yesterday, I knew I would be okay.''

Although happy with his weeks work, Moya was nevertheless a little disappointed that he could not replicate the good form of the last few days.

''If I had converted the break point chances I had early in the match it could have changed things'', Moya said. ''But I did not hit the ball the same way as the other days, maybe the weather did not help with the heavy conditions, so it was good for him. It was hard for me to move him and he played great. He's a very tough player to beat.''

Coming into the match, Moya did not feel that Simon's long match on the previous day would favour him.

''I didn't expect him to be tired, he's still young and has good endurance, so I did not expect that to be in my favour.''

Andre Jones

BNR Arena

Bucharest