Tsonga serves big to reach semis
Source: Agencies |
October 10, 2009, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SECOND-SEEDED Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France overpowered qualifier Ernests Gulbis 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 yesterday to advance to the semifinals of the Japan Open.
Tsonga hit 19 aces including two to close out the match in 1 hour, 31 minutes at Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo.
Latvian Gulbis had 11 aces and looked capable of producing an upset but Tsonga took control when he broke the 98th-ranked player to win the second set.
"It's difficult when a guy is serving well like that," Tsonga said. "I just tried to stay focused. I had a break at the end of the second set which was good for me because he was a bit nervous after that."
Tsonga's semifinal opponent will be French compatriot Gael Monfils, who downed Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Eighth-seeded Lleyton Hewitt of Australia eased into the semifinals with a 6-4, 6-0 win over France's Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
"Today the whole second set I served extremely well which made life easier," said Hewitt, who broke serve five times from 12 opportunities in the 67-minute match.
Hewitt, who won here in 2001, will face Russia's Mikhail Youzhny in the semifinals today. Youzhny knocked out defending champion and fifth-seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-2, 7-6 (6).
Youzhny lost narrowly to Berdych in May and said he was determined not to let that happen again.
"It's always close when we play," Youzhny said. "I lost to him by one point in Munich so I didn't want that to happen again."
Tsonga hit 19 aces including two to close out the match in 1 hour, 31 minutes at Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo.
Latvian Gulbis had 11 aces and looked capable of producing an upset but Tsonga took control when he broke the 98th-ranked player to win the second set.
"It's difficult when a guy is serving well like that," Tsonga said. "I just tried to stay focused. I had a break at the end of the second set which was good for me because he was a bit nervous after that."
Tsonga's semifinal opponent will be French compatriot Gael Monfils, who downed Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Eighth-seeded Lleyton Hewitt of Australia eased into the semifinals with a 6-4, 6-0 win over France's Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
"Today the whole second set I served extremely well which made life easier," said Hewitt, who broke serve five times from 12 opportunities in the 67-minute match.
Hewitt, who won here in 2001, will face Russia's Mikhail Youzhny in the semifinals today. Youzhny knocked out defending champion and fifth-seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-2, 7-6 (6).
Youzhny lost narrowly to Berdych in May and said he was determined not to let that happen again.
"It's always close when we play," Youzhny said. "I lost to him by one point in Munich so I didn't want that to happen again."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
