Tsonga Downs Simon To Reach Montpellier Quarter-finals
Tsonga Downs Simon To Reach Montpellier Quarter-finals
Berdych drops two games to reach last eight
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga reached his fourth Open Sud de France quarter-final on Wednesday, beating countryman Gilles Simon 6-2, 7-6(3).
The 33-year-old, who owns a 6-2 record this year, landed 11 aces and saved four of five break points to advance after one hour and 34 minutes. Tsonga improves to 6-1 against Simon on home soil and 9-3 overall in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series.
“I’m very happy to win this match. It was something great, at a good level. I hope i will be able to go far in this tournament,” Tsonga said.
Tsonga will hope to extend his 3-0 unbeaten record in Montpellier quarter-finals when he meets Brisbane semi-finalist Jeremy Chardy. Chardy also overcame French opposition to reach the last eight, defeating qualifier Antoine Hoang 6-3, 7-5. The sixth seed played well in crucial moments, saving five of six break points and converting four of his five break opportunities.
Tomas Berdych continued his fine start to the 2019 ATP Tour season, cruising past Benoit Paire 6-2, 6-0. The 2012 champion, who improves to 6-0 in Montpellier, won eight straight games from 4-2 in the first set to eliminate the eighth seed after 58 minutes. Berdych dropped just five points behind his first serve (22/27) and converted five of 10 break points to reach the last eight.
The Doha runner-up (l. to Bautista Agut) now leads Paire 4-0 in the FedEx ATP Head2Head series and will meet Filip Krajinovic for a place in the semi-finals. The 26-year-old Serbian saved all four break points he faced en route to a 6-4, 6-4 win over second seed David Goffin.
Radu Albot needed just 72 minutes to defeat fifth seed Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 6-3. The 29-year-old converted each of his three break-point chances to set a second-round clash against Ernests Gulbis.
Marcos Baghdatis booked a meeting with defending champion Lucas Pouille, beating lucky loser Ruben Bemelmans 6-2, 6-4. Ilya Ivashka also reached the second round, rallying from a set down to defeat Thomas Fabbiano 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Did You Know?
Berdych and Paire have both reached the Open Sud de France championship match. In 2012, Berdych defeated Gael Monfils to lift the trophy, while Paire fell in straight sets to Richard Gasquet in the 2013 final.