Jo Wilfried Tsonga continued to delight his home Crowd, with a thrilling 5 set victory over Kei Nishikori. The French No1 was cruisng to the SFs when he led Nishikori by two sets to love. But the ever dangerous and dynamic Japanese Superstar, clawed his way back from 2 sets down to force a 5th set. Tsonga then just in the nick of time, recovered quickly to edge his opoponent by 6-3 and reach his 2nd Roland Garros Semi-Final. There he’ll face former Australian Open Champion Stan Wawrinka, after the Swiss No2 beat compatriot Roger Federer. Wawrinka was all over Federer from the start, with his potent backhand doing most of the damage. Federer the 2009 RG champ just couldn;t live or handle Stans power and eventually fell down in straight sets. In the Women’s QFs, Ana Ivanovic reached her 1st Grand Sam SF, since winning the French Open in 2008. The Serbian crushed risng star Elina Svitlona in straight sets, to set up a last 4 clash Lucie Safarova, who overcame another rising star in Garbine Muguruza.
Roland Garros 2015, Day 10: MS QFs
Tsonga bt Nishikori: 6-1, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3
Jo Wilfried Tsonga can celebrate tonight, after reaching his 2nd RG Semi-Final, in the last 3 years. The Swashbuckling Frenchman first reached the last of his home major 2 years ago, losing to David Ferrer.
His vanquished QF challenger was none other than Asian Sensation Kei Nishikori, who valiantly battled from 2 sets to love down, to force a 5th set.
Tsonga was scintillating fro the first two sets, crushing Nishikori 6-1 in the first set, then racing into a 5-1 lead in the 2nd. Play was ten dirsupted at Phillip Chatrier, after a piece of metal from the scoreboard, fell onto some spectators. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt and the match soon resumed after 30 minutes.
Kei then took advantage of the lull in proceedings and broke Tsonga straight away. He later held serve, to reduce the lead to 5-4. But Jo kept his cool and served it by 6-4, to gain the heakthy 2 sets to love lead.
That’s when Kei became a man on a mission. Storming back to level at 2 sets all, the No5 seed won sets 3 and 4 by 6-4 and 6-3 respectively.
However Tsonga dashed Kei’s hopes of a great 5 set comeback, when he broke the Japanese on his first atatempt in the final set. That was all he needed to then serve it out by 6-3 and reach his first SF of a Grand Slam, since right here, 2 year ago.
Wawrinka bt Federer: 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
It won’t be record extending 37th Grand Slam SF, for the 17 times Major winner- Roger Federer.
That’s because the 33 year old Swiss Maestro, was upended quiite handily actually, by comptriot and 2014 AO champ- Stan Wawrinka.
Even though Federer leads their H2H by 16-2, both of Stan’s wins over him have come on clay, at Monte-Carlo. Federer though has never lost to his younger countryman in Grand Slams, beatiing him on 4 previous occasions. Roger also bested him in their most recent clash at the Rome Masters, where Stan only won 6 games in total.
But it was the raw firepower of Wawrinka which was too much for Federer to handle. 1 break was enough for Stan in the 3rd game, to go on and take the first set by 6-4.
Wawrinka then went into overdrive in the 2nd set, coming from 2-3 down and winning 4 games on the trot for, 2 the two sets to love advantage.
Nothing much happened in the 3rd set, with neither player letting up on their serves. A trie-break then inevitably came, to settle which way the 3rd would go and Federer had to win it, to stay alive in the match.
Howvere the great man was unable to do so, as Wawrinka punced on a vulnerbale Federer, to esaily take it by 7-4.
WS Day 10: QFs
Ivanovic bt Svitlolina: 6-3, 6-2
Ana Ivanovic played a blinder of a match, to crush Elina Svitlina and move into the SFs, for the first time in 7 years.
Coming into the match, Ana had ruled rising 20 year old in the ir H2H, leading a handy 6-0. To say that Ivanovic was on it from the start, is an understatement. The Serbian beauity was all over Svitolina from the get go.
Winner after winner, Ivanovic was just creaming the Ukrainian, left right and centre. She easily won the opening set by 6-3 and continued her barrage against a hapless Svitolina, well into the 2nd set.
Svtilina unsuroprinsgly was appearing in her maiden Grand Slam QF, so she was undertstandably quite nervous. But Ana was having none of that, with the 28 year old soon storming to victory in the 2nd set by 6-2. Ivanovic hit a staggeringn 37 winners in a mere 75 minute match, mostly on her massive forehand.
Amazingly this is the first Major, since Ana won her maiden one at the French Open in 2008, that she’s reached the last 4.
Safarova bt Muguruza: 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
Ivanovic’s opponent in the last 4, will be arguably the most improved player on the WTA Tour in the last year: Lucie Safarova.
Since reaching her maiden GS semi at Wimbledon last year, Safarrova has gone from stenght to strength.
The Czech lefty is at a career high ranking of 13. But look no more, because after todays win over rising Spanish star Garbine Muguruza, the brilliant 28 year old will crack the top 10 for the first time in her career.
Muguruza was appearing in her 2nd straight French Openn QF. She of course made headlines last year, when she stunned World No1 Serena Williams in the 2nd rd. She later lost to eventual champion Maria Sharapova in the QFs.
The first set was an absolute grinder, lasting well over an hour. Both had their chances, but in the end the consistency of Lucie won her the tie-break: by 7 points to 3.
Then from the middle of the 2nd set, Safarova broke away and broke away for good. An early break proving decisive, as Safarova completed the win by 6-3.
All Things Tennis- from Hamza Shakeel 