Indianapolis, Indiana - Benjamin Becker suffered a third-set collapse as he crashed out 7-5, 3-6, 6-0 Wednesday in the second round of the Indianapolis Tennis Championships to France's Gilles Simon.

The slumping German, who was handed his ninth first-round defeat of a sad season on grass last week in Newport, Rhode Island, can boast only a pair of quarter-finals in 2008, at Adelaide and Memphis, Tennessee, during the first two months of the year.

After putting up a fight against the second seed making his Indianapolis debut, Becker folded with a 6-0 final set.

Even Simon couldn't explain what happened.

"It was not a great match for either of us. The level was not good," said the number 25 with three career titles including Casablanca two months ago on clay.

"Between the second set and the third, I didn't find anything new on the court. My level remained the same. I don't understand how I won."

Simon will be playing in his fifth quarter-final of 2008, taking on the winner from stiffer German competition in the form of fifth seed Tommy Haas or US youngster John Isner.

Chile's Paul Capdeville earned a quarter-final place with a victory against Australian qualifier Joe Sirianni 6-3, 6-4, and awaits the outcome between Russian defending champion Dmitry Tursunov and Wayne Odesnik.

Simon and Becker needed nearly two hours in the summer heat to conclude, with the French winner breaking six times while allowing Becker only three breaks of serve in the see-saw contest.

"I hope the next round is easier. But if not, then I'll try to win like this," Simon said of the "winning ugly" effort.

World number eight James Blake is playing as top seed and hoping to crack a recent slump, which left him with second-round defeats at the French Open and Wimbledon.

Blake won the Indiana event in 2006, beating Andy Roddick. (dpa)