Tsonga back with a bang, Zhang falls early
Print Edition
JO Wilfried Tsonga had a smooth return to competition yesterday while top-ranked Chinese Zhang Ze — seeking a personal breakthrough — was trashed by German Mischa Zverev in straight sets at the Shanghai Rolex Masters.
Zhang’s match was held at the newly renovated Union Pay Court at Qizhong Tennis Center in suburban Minhang District. However, the No. 184-ranked wildcarder found it hard to gain a foothold, committing 11 unforced errors in the first set itself compared to Zverev’s two. He gave the match away 1-6, 2-6, and is yet to reach the second round at the Shanghai tournament.
Tsonga, playing for the first time since retiring from his quarterfinal clash at the US Open, beat Germany’s Florian Mayer 6-3, 6-2 in his opening match in Shanghai and will take on Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic next.
Tsonga, who lost to Novak Djokovic in the Shanghai final last year, had 12 aces against Mayer and saved all five break points he faced.
The ninth-seeded Frenchman hasn’t played since retiring with a knee injury against Djokovic at the US Open last month after dropping the first two sets.
In other first-round matches yesterday, Mischa Zverev’s younger brother Alexander, ranked No. 21, beat American John Isner 6-4, 6-2; while another American Steve Johnson overcame Martin Klizan of Slovakia 6-4, 6-3.
Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil earned just his ninth victory of the season, edging Croat Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (5), 6-4. He will attempt to win back-to-back matches for the first time this year against either Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov or France’s Richard Gasquet, who play their opening match today.
Other winners included American qualifier Taylor Fritz, who beat Stephane Robert of France 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-3, and Kyle Edmund of Britain, who earned a measure of revenge after his country’s loss to Argentina in the Davis Cup semifinals by defeating Federico Delbonis 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Djokovic, the top-seeded player and three-time champion, plays his first match since his runner-up finish at the US Open today against Fabio Fognini of Italy. The Serb withdrew from last week’s China Open, where he is a six-time champion, with an elbow injury.
In a doubles match, Chinese pair Wu Di and Li Zhe lost a close first-round match to Spanish duo David Ferrer and Roberto Bautista Agut 5-7, 6-7 (4).
Facing higher ranking opponents, the Chinese pair, cheered lustily by local fans, showed no fear, taking a 5-2 lead in the first set. The Spanish duo held their nerve to tie it at 5-5 before breaking serve to take a 6-5 lead and the set.
The two pairs played a tight game in the second set. Wu and Li took a 5-4 lead before Ferrer and Agut pulled two games back and pushed the set to a tiebreaker. The Spanish duo then seized their first match point for the victory.
Wu’s journey at the Shanghai Rolex Masters will continue as the 25-year-old made a personal breakthrough on Sunday, beating the 16th seed Pablo Cuevas 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (2) in the first round.
The victory made the 184th-ranked local boy the fourth Chinese player to reach the second round of the ATP 1000 event after Zeng Shaoxuan, Bai Yan and Wang Chuhan. Wu first took part in the Shanghai tournament in 2009, but failed to get through the opening round in five previous appearances. He broke the Uruguayan seven times in the match, including five in the third set.
“Seven years is a long time,” Wu said, talking about his long wait for a first victory at the ATP 1000 tournament. “Despite the victory, I have to criticize myself for making very little progress in the past few years.”
Wu will next take on the winner of the clash between Frenchman Gilles Simon and Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain.
In Tianjin, north China, Russian two-time grand slam champion and second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova breezed through her opening match at the Tianjin Open yesterday, beating France’s Pauline Parmentier 6-1, 6-3.
Meanwhile, China’s Wang Yafan — listed 125th in the world by the WTA — clinched a surprise upset, eliminating sixth-seeded Yulia Putintseva 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, despite the Kazakh ranking 91 places above her.
The other Chinese players fared less well.
Zhang Kailin lost 6-3, 5-7, 3-6 to Croatia’s Donna Vekic, while Tianjin native Duan Yingying was defeated 4-6, 3-6 by Montenegrin Danka Kovinic.
2010 Wimbledon doubles winner Vania King of the US was knocked out by Chang Kai-chen of Chinese Taipei 1-6, 2-6.
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