Tsonga Sacks Sock, American Hopes At US Open
Tsonga Sacks Sock, American Hopes At US Open
Frenchman will face Djokovic or Edmund in QF
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ended American hopes at the US Open as he defeated last man standing, Jack Sock, 6-3, 6-3, 6-7(7), 6-2 in New York on Sunday.
The Frenchman had a match point in the third set but Sock saved it and looked to have the American crowd behind him heading into the pivotal fourth set. Tsonga broke the 23 year old twice in the final set to move into his second Grand Slam quarter-final of the season (Wimbledon, l. to Murray).
“It was really difficult because he played great in the third,” Tsonga said during his on-court interview with ESPN after the match. “I just tried to play my game in the fourth and that’s it. Stay focused on what I have to do.”
The Frenchman is looking to mount a late charge in the Emirates ATP Race To London and helped his cause by reaching the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows for the second year in a row.
Tsonga started the US Open at 16th in the year-to-date standings, just over 1000 points behind eighth-placed countryman Gael Monfils, who also advanced to the quarter-finals earlier with victory over Marcos Baghdatis.
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Tsonga fell in the last eight to Marin Cilic at the US Open last year and will look to reach his first Grand Slam semi-final since he made a run on home soil last year at Roland Garros (l. to Wawrinka).
The 31-year-old Tsonga controlled the contest with Sock during the first two sets, winning 85 per cent of his first-serve points (28/33) and hitting 28 winners to take a two-set lead. Sock rebounded in a packed Louis Armstrong Stadium, though, running around a Tsonga serve to hit a forehand winner and take the third set.
After the clean forehand, the Nebraska native, who was looking to reach his first career Grand Slam quarter-final, lifted his arms to try to rally the crowd. But Tsonga’s big-match experience paid off in the fourth as he did not face a break point in advancing.
The ninth seed goes on to face either World No. 1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic or #NextGen star Kyle Edmund. Asked on court if he’d like the two to endure a quick three-set match or a long five-set contest, Tsonga said, “Of course, a long five-set match. Really long. Really, really, really long,” he said in between laughs. “I’m in a quarter-final and now everything can happen, so I will give my best. I will fight for it, and we will see.”
Sock, No. 26 seed, was trying to become the first homegrown quarter-finalist in the US Open men’s draw since 2011, when Andy Roddick and John Isner reached the last eight.