Blowing in the wind
12 Oct 2013 5:59 AM IST
Seventh seed Tsonga, 28, who admitted he was not quite 100 percent fit after problems with his knee, which forced him to miss the US Open, was equally impressive, beating 50th-ranked Florian Mayer of Germany 6-2, 6-3 in just 64 minutes.
The flashy Frenchman missed several months with a knee injury and also parted ways with his coach, Roger Rasheed, after less than a year. He’s slipped to No. 9 in the rankings - his lowest position in two years.
‘I missed the game and it was tough to see my friends play,’ Tsonga said about his injury layoff. ‘But anyway, you know, sometime it’s good because it makes your mind clear, so after that you come back sometimes stronger. That’s what I will try to do.’
Tsonga moved into the eighth and final qualifying spot for the ATP Finals with his win on Friday, just ahead of compatriot Richard Gasquet.
Rafael Nadal survived a fierce assault from Stanislas Wawrinka to reach the Shanghai Masters semifinals Friday, staying on course for a potential title match against Novak Djokovic, who recovered from a set down to also claim victory.
World number one Nadal was pushed to the limit by Wawrinka in a highly competitive first set, but the relentless Spaniard came out on top in a gripping tie-break lasting more than 20 minutes.
It was one-way traffic in the second set as he prevailed 7-6 (12/10), 6-1.
Top seed Djokovic kept his side of the bargain under floodlights at the Qizhong Tennis Center, withstanding a feisty challenge from Frenchman Gael Monfils to win his quarter-final 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-4.
‘Inexplicably I started serving quite badly, but not many unforced errors,’ said Djokovic. ‘It happens. I mean, I was preparing for this match as well as I prepare for every other. It’s just sometimes that you start off slowly and you’re not feeling the ball as much.’
Del Potro had 27 winners and only eight unforced errors in a 6-3, 6-3 win over Spain’s Nicolas Almagro.
Del Potro, 25, just one win away from qualifying for the World Tour Finals, is wary of his semi-final match-up against Nadal, describing him as ‘unbeatable’. ‘You have to have a perfect day with Rafa. We’ll see how it’s going,’ he said.
The flashy Frenchman missed several months with a knee injury and also parted ways with his coach, Roger Rasheed, after less than a year. He’s slipped to No. 9 in the rankings - his lowest position in two years.
‘I missed the game and it was tough to see my friends play,’ Tsonga said about his injury layoff. ‘But anyway, you know, sometime it’s good because it makes your mind clear, so after that you come back sometimes stronger. That’s what I will try to do.’
Tsonga moved into the eighth and final qualifying spot for the ATP Finals with his win on Friday, just ahead of compatriot Richard Gasquet.
Rafael Nadal survived a fierce assault from Stanislas Wawrinka to reach the Shanghai Masters semifinals Friday, staying on course for a potential title match against Novak Djokovic, who recovered from a set down to also claim victory.
World number one Nadal was pushed to the limit by Wawrinka in a highly competitive first set, but the relentless Spaniard came out on top in a gripping tie-break lasting more than 20 minutes.
It was one-way traffic in the second set as he prevailed 7-6 (12/10), 6-1.
Top seed Djokovic kept his side of the bargain under floodlights at the Qizhong Tennis Center, withstanding a feisty challenge from Frenchman Gael Monfils to win his quarter-final 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-4.
‘Inexplicably I started serving quite badly, but not many unforced errors,’ said Djokovic. ‘It happens. I mean, I was preparing for this match as well as I prepare for every other. It’s just sometimes that you start off slowly and you’re not feeling the ball as much.’
Del Potro had 27 winners and only eight unforced errors in a 6-3, 6-3 win over Spain’s Nicolas Almagro.
Del Potro, 25, just one win away from qualifying for the World Tour Finals, is wary of his semi-final match-up against Nadal, describing him as ‘unbeatable’. ‘You have to have a perfect day with Rafa. We’ll see how it’s going,’ he said.
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