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
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
