Jo-Wilfried Tsonga won the Toronto Masters with a win over Roger Federer, two years after injuring himself at the same event in a freak collision with a fire hydrant. French 13th seed Tsonga hit 11 aces and 26 winners to win Sunday’s final 7-5, 7-6 (7/3) while Federer, two days after his 33rd birthday, was undone by 37 unforced errors.
‘If you believe in something it can happen. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved this week. I played well all this week. I beat many good guys,’ said Tsonga. The 29-year-old dropped just one set all week as he knocked out world number one Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray en route to the final. It was Tsonga’s second career Masters 1000 title, coming almost six years after his first at Paris Bercy in 2008. He is just the second French player after Guy Forget to win two titles at the Masters level.
Tsonga spent just over one and three-quarter hours in constructing his upset over the man who had beaten him in both of their previous finals played in 2011. Tsonga dealt with injuries for much of 2013 but is now fit and brimming with confidence. The French player said his win Sunday had special significance because of his experience two years earlier.
Fresh off winning an Olympic silver medal in doubles in the 2012 London Games, Tsonga injured his right knee in Toronto after walking into a fire hydrant as he was out for a stroll. He had lost in the opening round of the Masters 1000 event in Toronto to Jeremy Chardy. The injury required eight stitches and forced him to pull out of the Cincinnati Masters event the following week. ‘This will stay in my heart forever. Two years ago here I had knee problems, now it’s all changed. This win was something really special. I have a lot of respect for Roger. It was such a great week for me, I played so well, and I’m so happy. It’s just incredible to be back on form like this. I knew I could play well again, this should help me for the rest of the season,’ he said.
Meanwhile, third seed Agnieszka Radwanska toppled former world number one Venus Williams in straight sets at the WTA Montreal tournament to clinch her first title of the season. Poland’s Radwanska rolled to a comfortable 6-4, 6-2 victory over the American in just 81 minutes as she claimed her 14th career singles title. ‘I am very, very happy. Everything was working for me on Monday,’ said Radwanska, who earned $467,000 for the win. The 25-year-old’s last win was in Seoul in September. She reached the final at Indian Wells earlier this year, losing to Italian Flavia Pennetta.
Radwanska fired three aces, had two double faults and won 65 percent of her first serves in the hard court match on centre court. The 2012 Wimbledon runner-up dropped the opening game of the first set, but then ran off four straight games to take control. Williams broke back and drew within 4-3 only to see Radwanska win the set 6-4.
The former world number two then broke Williams to open the second set, but the Florida resident got back into it with a fourth-game break to even the set at 2-2. Radwanska broke back in the fifth game to regain control.
‘I was just trying to use my chances. Whenever I could really go for it, that’s what I tried to do. On a couple of her serves I really had no chance. But if I had any chance, I took it and that’s why I could break her,’ Radwanska said.
Radwanska has now won 11 of her 14 crowns on hard court. ‘I had an amazing week. I was playing much better with each match. I didn’t start that well from my first match but every match was much better. That is why I am sitting right here,’ she said.
‘If you believe in something it can happen. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved this week. I played well all this week. I beat many good guys,’ said Tsonga. The 29-year-old dropped just one set all week as he knocked out world number one Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray en route to the final. It was Tsonga’s second career Masters 1000 title, coming almost six years after his first at Paris Bercy in 2008. He is just the second French player after Guy Forget to win two titles at the Masters level.
Tsonga spent just over one and three-quarter hours in constructing his upset over the man who had beaten him in both of their previous finals played in 2011. Tsonga dealt with injuries for much of 2013 but is now fit and brimming with confidence. The French player said his win Sunday had special significance because of his experience two years earlier.
Fresh off winning an Olympic silver medal in doubles in the 2012 London Games, Tsonga injured his right knee in Toronto after walking into a fire hydrant as he was out for a stroll. He had lost in the opening round of the Masters 1000 event in Toronto to Jeremy Chardy. The injury required eight stitches and forced him to pull out of the Cincinnati Masters event the following week. ‘This will stay in my heart forever. Two years ago here I had knee problems, now it’s all changed. This win was something really special. I have a lot of respect for Roger. It was such a great week for me, I played so well, and I’m so happy. It’s just incredible to be back on form like this. I knew I could play well again, this should help me for the rest of the season,’ he said.
Meanwhile, third seed Agnieszka Radwanska toppled former world number one Venus Williams in straight sets at the WTA Montreal tournament to clinch her first title of the season. Poland’s Radwanska rolled to a comfortable 6-4, 6-2 victory over the American in just 81 minutes as she claimed her 14th career singles title. ‘I am very, very happy. Everything was working for me on Monday,’ said Radwanska, who earned $467,000 for the win. The 25-year-old’s last win was in Seoul in September. She reached the final at Indian Wells earlier this year, losing to Italian Flavia Pennetta.
Radwanska fired three aces, had two double faults and won 65 percent of her first serves in the hard court match on centre court. The 2012 Wimbledon runner-up dropped the opening game of the first set, but then ran off four straight games to take control. Williams broke back and drew within 4-3 only to see Radwanska win the set 6-4.
The former world number two then broke Williams to open the second set, but the Florida resident got back into it with a fourth-game break to even the set at 2-2. Radwanska broke back in the fifth game to regain control.
‘I was just trying to use my chances. Whenever I could really go for it, that’s what I tried to do. On a couple of her serves I really had no chance. But if I had any chance, I took it and that’s why I could break her,’ Radwanska said.
Radwanska has now won 11 of her 14 crowns on hard court. ‘I had an amazing week. I was playing much better with each match. I didn’t start that well from my first match but every match was much better. That is why I am sitting right here,’ she said.