Wawrinka Beats Tsonga to Reach French Open Finals

June 5, 2015 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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Photo credit: Calvin Rhoden

It certainly wasn’t pretty or the best tennis eighth-seeded Swiss Stan Warinka has ever played, but it was enough to get the job done on Friday, as Wawrinka bested France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-7(1), 7-6(3), 6-4 to reach the French Open final.

Wawrinka nailed down an early break point which allowed him to serve out the first set. In the second, Tsonga regained his composure and fought off a number of break points, eventually taking the set in a tie-breaker.

The third and fourth sets could have gone either way, but Tsonga fumbled away 12 break point chances which could have swung the match. He went 0-12 on break points in the final two sets, while Wawrinka nailed one down early in the fourth frame and went on to close out the home favorite in three hours and 46 minutes.

“It was a big battle and I’m happy I was able to pull through it,” said Wawrinka. He deserved to make it to the final as much as I did. There were just two or three points that made the difference, and I found a way to fight.”

Wawrinka is the first eighth-seed in the Open Era to reach the French Open championship match.

Overall, he saved 16 of the 17 break points he faced, as Tsonga was unable to capitalize on a ton of chances. On serve, he ripped 15 aces.

Playing in his second career Grand Slam final, Wawrinka will play the winner of the match between the top-seeded Novak Djokovic and third-seeded Andy Murray. 


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Century
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