Tsonga Shocked by Brazilian Wild Card in Rio
France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was bounced out in the first round at the Rio Open on Wednesday, as Brazilian wild card Thiago Monteiro upset Tsonga, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
Monteiro, who is ranked 338th in the world and was making his ATP World Tour debut in this match, secured the only break in the third set to pull off the upset.
He converted on 67 percent of his serves, becoming the first player outside the top 300 to make his ATP World Tour debut with a victory over a top 10 opponent since Corradi Borroni beat Yevgeny Kafelnikov in Rome in 1995.
“I don’t have much to say, that happened,” Monteiro told SporTV afterwards. “I felt I did well. He felt the climate conditions. It was very hot for both of us. This victory made me believe even more in me, in my game. But at the same time I know I have a long way to go, a lot of work to do, to reach the top hundred.”
Monteiro will look to continue his push when he squares off with Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas.
Fifth-seed Dominic Thiem continued his excellent play in South America. The Austrian captured the title in Buenos Aires last week, and is into the Rio quarterfinals with a 7-5, 7-5 win over Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman on Wednesday.
“These are exactly the matches I need to improve,” said Thiem. “I saw last week that I can beat the big guys.”
Thiem will play the winner of second-seed David Ferrer and Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver joined Thiem in the quarterfinals as he advanced when seventh-seed Fabio Fognini was forced to retire.
