Jo-Wilfried Tsonga improved to 15-14 lifetime against Top 10 opponents.
Tenth-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga denied Novak Djokovic an opportunity to rise to a career-high No. 2 in the South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings, after he beat the third-seeded Serbian 7-6(8), 6-7(5), 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 on Wednesday night to avenge his loss in the 2008 Australian Open final. Djokovic will become No. 2 if Andy Murray does not win the title.
Tsonga beat his third-seeded opponent this year at Melbourne Park, in an enthralling three-hour, 52-minute match, to set up a semi-final clash with top seed and three-time former champion Roger Federer of Switzerland. The pair will meet for the third time (1-1 overall) on Friday night.
"I have to play my best tennis," said Tsonga, when asked about the semi-final. "Roger played unbelievable again today because Nikolay was in good shape, so it's going to be tough. But like today, I will give everything and we will see."
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Djokovic drew first blood in a terrific opening to the pair's seventh meeting — their first clash since March 2009 at the Sony Ericsson Open — clinching a 2-0 lead, after Hawk Eye didn’t come to Tsonga's aid and the Frenchman hit a backhand into the net. But a double fault and backhand error by Djokovic in the third game gave Tsonga an immediate reprieve to get the first set back on serve.
Tsonga fell to 15/40 in the sixth game, but recovered to deuce with an ace and a huge forehand winner. A forehand error and volley long of the baseline gave Djokovic his second service break. He went on to close out to love for 5-2.
Djokovic created one set point at 5-4, advantage, but he hit a forehand long. He then ended a 32-stroke rally by hitting a lob long and gifted Tsonga a service break for the Frenchman’s third game in a row. Inevitably, the first set was decided on a tie-break.
Tsonga approached the net on two occasions for winners to create a first set point at 6-5, which he squandered with a wide forehand. Djokovic, too, was unable to convert a set point at 7-6, when Tsonga serve and volleyed for a winning stroke. Three successive volley winners helped Tsonga clinch the first set after 67 minutes of play.
After a slow start to the second set, Tsonga's service began to re-fire but in the fifth game Djokovic was able to set up two break point opportunities at 15/40. Tsonga gifted Djokovic a service break with a forehand in the net and the Serbian went on to lead 4-2, with a love service hold.
Tsonga capitalised on a double fault, a forehand and a backhand error to break Djokovic’s serve to love in the eighth game for 4-4. Neither player created a break point opportunity in the four remaining games to a second tie-break.
Djokovic opened up a 3-0 lead, but it only fired Tsonga into action and the pair changed end all square at 3-3, after Djokovic was twice brought to the net for clever drop shots. An 11th ace for the match gave Tsonga a 5-4 lead, but two poor drop shots gave Djokovic an easy winner and his first set point at 6-5. Djokovic levelled the scoreline at one set apiece, after he hit a forehand winner to clinch the 57-minute second set.
Tsonga, who played four and five-set matches against No. 18 seed Tommy Haas and No. 26 seed Nicolas Almagro in previous rounds, started to tire are the start of the third set.
Djokovic was unable to convert three break point opportunity in the second game — unable to direct two returns from powerful serves into the court and Tsonga saving the third point with a risky forehand winner down the line.
Tsonga fell to 0/40 in the fourth game and a backhand wide of the court handed Djokovic the advantage for a 3-1 lead. After that, the 37-minute third set quickly ran away from Tsonga.
In the first game of the fourth set, Djokovic returned to his chair holding his stomach. After Tsonga broke the Serbian’s serve for a 2-0 lead, Djokovic — taking deep breaths — rushed off the court.
"It was unfortunate that I couldn't perform on the level that I wanted to in the fourth and fifth set," admitted Djokovic afterwards. "I don't want to find excuses for my loss, but I went to vomit and I had diarrhea before the match. It's been a great tournament for me."
Although he returned, with a trainer stationed near his chair, Djokovic fell to 0/40 in the fourth game and handed Tsonga a 4-0 lead when he hit a backhand drop shot into the net.
Djokovic reeled off three straight games, including a service break in the seventh game, for 3-5, but could not deny Tsonga the fourth set. A 207 km/h ace, his 16th of the match, down the middle brought up two set points, the first of which Tsonga won when Djokovic hit a backhand down the line into the net. Tsonga committed just two unforced errors and hit four aces and seven winners in the fourth set.
At just after midnight local time, Djokovic served first in the fifth set. Three wayward strokes gave Tsonga a service break and further errors followed as he clinched a 2-0 lead.
In the third game, a forehand into the net gave Tsonga another break point opportunity with Djokovic serving at 30/40, but the Frenchman over-hit a backhand long of the baseline in the resulting rally. Djokovic then over-hit a crosscourt forehand to gift Tsonga an opportunity for 3-0, but Djokovic fought back to get his first game of the deciding set.
Djokovic looked a beaten man in the fifth game, when he dropped to 0/40 on serve. A double fault gave Tsonga a commanding 4-1 lead and Djokovic walked to his chair with his head in his towel.
Tsonga only grew in confidence, firing up supporters in Rod Laver Arena with an outstanding scrambled winner off a Djokovic drop shot. Djokovic dropped to 15/40 at 1-5, after Tsonga hit a forehand winner down the line.
Victory for Tsonga, came one point later. He now holds a 15-14 lifetime record against Top 10 opponents. The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam championship where he has advanced past the fourth round.
"I'm stronger, physically stronger [than in 2008]," said Tsonga. "I think I have more than one way to play, and this is why I'm better."
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