So a match with some terrific tennis, much of it from Tsonga but a lot more from Wawrinka, who follows up his demolition of Roger Federer with a less emphatic but no less impressive defeat of the Frenchman.
Wawrinka will play the winner of the Andy Murray v Novak Djokovic match in Sunday’s final...and you can follow that semi-final with Jacob Steinberg here. Cheers for reading, good afternoon.
Stanislas Wawrinka wins 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4
Fourth set: Tsonga 3-6 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 3-1 in sets): Tsonga starts off strongly, but surrenders his advantage by putting a backhand long. A big serve from Wawrinka forces Tsonga long...and then again, and it’s match point. Tsonga wipes his brow, shakes his head....then nets a second serve and Wawrinka is in the final!
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Fourth set: Tsonga* 4-5 Wawrinka (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 2-1 in sets): Wawrinka kicks things off with an absolutely absurd backhand. Make a note of this for the inevitable comeback, but Tsonga looks sluggish now. Still, he wins the next couple of points...and indeed sends down an emphatic ace to take the game. Still, now Wawrinka will serve for the match...
Fourth set: Tsonga 3-5 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 2-1 in sets): After something of an epic on Tsonga’s serve, Wawrinka’s service game is much more straightforward, as he holds to love and Tsonga will now serve to stay in the match.
Fourth set: Tsonga* 3-4 Wawrinka (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 2-1 in sets): Wawrinka constructs a couple of points beautifully, moving Tsonga basically where he wants him and forcing him to skew a volley way wide. However, some big serves put Tsonga back level...then a big forehand sets up break point...which Wawrinka nets. However a deep return causes Tsonga to balloon his shot long and here’s another...which Tsonga saves with a delicate drop-volley. Then yet another as Tsonga nets, only for an ace to save that one. Tsonga has advantage but then Wawrinka reaches desperately for one that clips the line, and Tsonga prays to his deity of choice. A wonderful, ballsy drop-shot saves another break-point for Tsonga, and he eventually closes it out as Wawrinka puts a backhand wide.
Fourth set: Tsonga 2-4 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 2-1 in sets): The power these two are still putting behind these shots truly is impressive. A bit too much power (to channel Andy Townsend...) perhaps, as Wawrinka hits game point long. However, he does manage to seal it by coming to the net and putting a backhand volley home.
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Fourth set: Tsonga* 2-3 Wawrinka (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 2-1 in sets): Wawrinka comes out swinging but puts a good few of the swings long, but Tsonga’s erraticism (is that a word? Spellchecker seems to think so) means two errant shots and Wawrinka’s back in it. However, Tsonga puts it away eventually.
Fourth set: Tsonga 1-3 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 2-1 in sets): Now then...Tsonga gets one to clip the baseline and it’s 0-30 on the Wawrinka serve, but it’s clawed back with a quite brilliant backhand sort of down the line, but with a little fade on it to take it away from Tsonga. What a shot from Wawrinka, but then he gives up a break point with a careless double fault. That’s his fifth of the match, but he follows it up with a booming ace to save his bacon.
However, the game yins and the game yangs, as Wawrinka puts a backhand just wide...but again Tsonga can’t covert, putting a running backhand slice wide. 14 unconverted break points for Tsonga now...but here’s another as Wawrinka double-faults again...and he makes it 15 with a sensational cross-court backhand that leaves Tsonga rooted. Some game this - Wawrinka sends down an ace, then Tsonga is back, hammering the ball straight at Wawrinka for égalité...and it’s break point 16 as a Wawrinka forehand is skewed wide...but Tsonga’s return sails long. Then a couple of big serves finally win the game for Wawrinka.
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Fourth set: Tsonga* 1-2 Wawrinka (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 2-1 in sets): They’re still talking darkly about some pretty heavy weather that is on the way, although it might just miss Paris, which will be splendid. Tsonga holds with few alarms, few surprises.
Fourth set: Tsonga 0-2 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 2-1 in sets): Well, perhaps it isn’t that decisive. Tsonga comes back to set up two break points as Wawrinka puts a forehand long. Some rather uncertain play at the net from both players results in one being saved, then Tsonga nets to dismiss the other. Only one from 13 break points converted by Tsonga in this one, and Wawrinka closes out the hold with an ace then a massive second serve that wrong-foots Tsonga.
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Fourth set: Tsonga* 0-1 Wawrinka (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 2-1 in sets): Well, Wawrinka certainly looks more energised now, pulling out some extraordinarily good shots (one forehand down the line in particular) to break, although it was sealed by a Tsonga double-fault. Could be decisive, that game.
Wawrinka wins the third set 7-6
Again, Wawrinka comes to the net and again Tsonga puts a pass wide. Long way back for Tsonga now, as Wawrinka leads 2-1.
Third set tie-break: Tsonga 3-6 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): Wawrinka comes to the net and Tsonga puts a pass into the tramlines. Set point.
Third set tie-break: Tsonga 3-5 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): A delightful backhand from Wawrinka. He’s cooking now.
Third set tie-break: Tsonga* 3-4 Wawrinka (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): A brilliant return ensures a mini-break for Wawrinka.
Third set tie-break: Tsonga* 3-3 Wawrinka (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): A return goes long and it’s level.
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Third set tie-break: Tsonga 2-3 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): Brilliant cross-court backhand from Wawrinka forces Tsonga to net.
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Third set tie-break: Tsonga 2-2 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): And it’s Wawrinka’s turn to dominate a point before missing an easy shot, netting a backhand volley.
Third set tie-break: Tsonga* 1-2 Wawrinka (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): Tsonga pulls Wawrinka from one side of the court to the other, but then puts an overhead wide!
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Third set tie-break: Tsonga* 1-1 Wawrinka (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): A backhand goes just long and that’s all-square.
Third set tie-break: Tsonga 0-1 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): Tsonga nets, and Wawrinka has a point on the board, matching his effort already from the last breaker.
Third set: Tsonga* 6-6 Wawrinka (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): Tsonga looks like he’s going to hold again, but a couple of curious lollipop shots - including a very weak overhead - let Wawrinka back into it. However, it doesn’t last long as Wawrinka puts a forehand wide, and we’re into another tie-breaker.
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Third set: Tsonga 5-6 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): The chuntering seems to work, as Wawrinka bags his own hold to love, closing out with a terrific serve down the middle.
Third set: Tsonga* 5-5 Wawrinka (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): Terrific stuff from Tsonga, who makes Wawrinka run here and run even harder there, before putting the ball away with some authority, then claiming the hold to love with a terrific wide serve. Wawrinka is chuntering away in the vague direction of his coaches.
Third set: Tsonga 4-5 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): Wawrinka is still having issues with his first serve, but gets himself out of a 0-30 hole by coming up with a big second. Tsonga then nets a relatively straightforward backhand and screams at himself for doing so. Wawrinka puts a forehand wide to give Tsonga a break point, which he nearly takes, but the inside-out forehand goes just - just - wide. There’s then some debate over another Wawrinka forehand that goes just wide, and whether it should be played again, but that’s settled in the negative. Wawrinka saves another break point, before Tsonga hits a pair of shots long to end the game.
There’s certainly been a marked shift in emphasis since the early games when it was Tsonga who we weren’t sure if he was waving or drowning. Wawrinka is scrapping furiously.
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Third set: Tsonga* 4-4 Wawrinka (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): Some excellent rallies in that one, as both men come to the net and deal with drop-shots and put in volleys, but Tsonga holds and the crowd chant and chant and chant.
Third set: Tsonga 3-4 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): Wawrinka gets a hold of his own, and there seems to be a little more gusto in his game that time. It’s going to go on for a while, this one. Back and forth, hither and thither.
Third set: Tsonga* 3-3 Wawrinka (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): Wawrinka had some more medical attention between games, with the doctor apparently coming out with a big box of medical whatnot. Not entirely sure what they gave him, but whatever it was didn’t work for this game, which Tsonga holds to love then tries to whip up the crowd into a postprandial frenzy.
Third set: Tsonga 2-3 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): There are few more aesthetically pleasing shots in tennis than the running forehand down the line, and Tsonga produces a textbook example of that to take the first point in this game. Wawrinka then wins three points in a row, but Tsonga follows it up with the shot of the match by a distance, chasing down what looked like a lost cause on the backhand side and flicking an implausible cross-court backhand across Wawrinka, who can only watch and applaud. However, it’s all for nought, other than our enjoyment (and that, after all, is clearly the real quiz), as Wawrinka closes out the hold.
Third set: Tsonga* 2-2 Wawrinka (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): That finger doesn’t prove too much of a hindrance to Wawrinka as he absolutely nails a backhand down the line, but Tsonga still manages to hold and move level in the third.
Meanwhile, on the relatively sparse crowd...
Cc @Nickmiller79 - On 3/4 full lower tiers RT @DJMatthewDalton The French eat lunch, and occasionally watch tennis, http://t.co/6H6roRn6rS
— Rotus (@Rotankwot) June 5, 2015
Wawrinka has the trainer out, who appears to be applying something or other to his fingers. Blisters perhaps? Looks like one of those innocuous but disruptive problems. Anyway, sprays are being sprayed, plasters are being plastered, ointment is being, erm, ointmented.
Third set: Tsonga 1-2 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): Tremendous forehand down the line from Tsonga leaves Wawrinka rooted, then a great inside-out backhand has the Swiss chasing and sets up the smash and two break points. Wawrinka saves one with a delightful volley at the net, and the second after a well-placed wide second serve pulls Tsonga way out left. Wawrinka then holds after chasing down a drop-shot that Tsonga telegraphed rather.
Third set: Tsonga* 1-1 Wawrinka (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): Tsonga absolutely batters down a couple of serves, then Wawrinka floats up one of the weirder shots you’ll see, the ball gently sailing long like a child’s balloon allowed to set free. A terrific backhand closes out a simple hold for Tsonga.
Third set: Tsonga 0-1 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; 1-1 in sets): Wawrinka apologises for a shot that clipped the net and looped over, but he’s having some trouble getting his first serves in, and he sets up a break point for Tsona with a double-fault. Wawrinka saves it with a smart forehand, then saves another as Tsonga did in the last set with a big serve. Then a couple of long - but only just - shots from Tsonga secures the hold for Wawrinka.
Incidentally, a rough estimate would be that the stands - in the lower tiers, anyway - are about 3/4 full, which is rather surprising for a French player against the man who beat Roger Federer last time out.
Tsonga wins the second set 7-6; 1-1 in sets
A big, booming serve isn’t returned, and Tsonga - who looked well off the pace earlier in the set, is level.
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Second set tie-break: Tsonga 6-1 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): Tsonga nets a limp forehand and Wawrinka is on the board.
Second set tie-break: Tsonga 6-0 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): And another one goes long - only just, mind - and it’s set point.
Second set tie-break: Tsonga* 5-0 Wawrinka (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): Colossal forehand wrong-foots Wawrinka. What a shot that was.
Second set tie-break: Tsonga* 4-0 Wawrinka (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): Wawrinka puts a service return into the net, and Tsonga is running away with the tie-break.
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Second set tie-break: Tsonga 3-0 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): The Swiss nets a backhand, and Tsonga is in control.
Second set tie-break: Tsonga 2-0 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): Wawrinka goes long again with a forehand and Tsonga has a mini-break already.
Second set tie-break: Tsonga* 1-0 Wawrinka (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): Wawrinka puts a return long as Tsonga draws first blood in the breaker.
Second set: Tsonga 6-6 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): After that mini-epic of a game, this one is more straightforward, as Wawrinka holds easily to take us into a first set tie-break.
Second set: Tsonga* 6-5 Wawrinka (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): Some errors from Tsonga set up a couple of break points for Wawrinka - however, one is saved with an ace, the next with an even better serve that the Swiss did well to get near, let alone lay a racket on. Wawrinka then catches Tsonga in no-man’s land and aims a big shot at his toes, setting up another break point...but again a colossal serve gets Tsonga out of mither. Tsonga nets for another break point, but yet again the enormous serve saves it...then there’s another won with some brilliant running and a superb return by Wawrinka...it’s not converted and you can probably guess why. Tsonga breaks the cycle with a brilliant, dare we say it Wawrinkian booming cross-court forehand, before the big serve closes out a big, big game.
Second set: Tsonga 5-5 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): Hmmm, is Wawrinka’s radar disappearing a bit here? He goes for an inside-out forehand which goes wide, then misses a relatively straightforward smash attempt - he puts the second away, but he’s nowhere near as ruthless as he was earlier in the match. Still, he does manage to secure the hold, as Tsonga attempts a sliced backhand return that plops into the net.
Second set: Tsonga* 5-4 Wawrinka (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): Bit more energy in Tsonga now, by the looks of things. He holds with a ruthless efficiency, not allowing Wawrinka a chance to hit some of those big powerful efforts, and closing out with a belted forehand down the line of his own.
Second set: Tsonga 4-4 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): Oooh, a double-fault from Wawrinka, his first of the match. He’s only landed 26% of his first serves in this set...and he gives Tsonga a break point with another double-fault. And Tsonga converts! Wawrinka goes for a big inside-out forehand that he misjudges and sets into the tramlines. A turning point, perhaps?
Second set: Tsonga* 3-4 Wawrinka (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): The hats and their owners are happy again as Tsonga holds, but he briefly favours his right leg after stopping a slide rather abruptly when chasing a forehand. He’ll probably be fine - looks like one of those slight ailments that you’d notice much more when you’re losing than when you’re winning.
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Second set: Tsonga 2-4 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): Those Panama hats, or more specifically the throats and voices of those underneath them, as Tsonga takes the first two points of service game. An air horn goes off somewhere, but a couple of long backhands cause Tsonga to sort of smack his his own face in frustration. An ace, followed by a biggish forehand that Tsonga could possibly have reached but missed, secures the hold for Wawrinka.
Second set: Tsonga* 2-3 Wawrinka (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): The Panama-hatted crowd (seriously - it’s like they’re a requirement to get in) try to rouse Tsonga, and it appears to work, as he holds with the help of a couple of well-placed serves.
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Second set: Tsonga 1-3 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): It’s not just through power that Wawrinka is dominating, but seemingly with an ability to absolutely control points to his whim. He’s got the ball on a bit of string at the moment, a bit like Swingball, only in this scenario it doesn’t twirl back round and smack him in the face. Which definitely didn’t happen to me when I was eight. Definitely not. Anyway, Wawrinka makes Tsonga dance for a bit, then puts a few forehand winners away when he feels like it.
Second set: Tsonga* 1-2 Wawrinka (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): Well that’s a bit more encouraging for Tsonga. He holds to love, with a serve-volley approaching paying off then closing it with a tremendous cross-court backhand that wrong-foots Wawrinka completely.
Second set: Tsonga 0-2 Wawrinka* (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): Tsonga isn’t really playing but just trying to survive here. Perhaps with that in mind he advances to the net, just trying to mix things up a little, but Wawrinka has too much for him with a dipping top-spin forehand at his toes. Wawrinka closes out that hold by dragging Tsonga out wide on the backhand side, then volleying away the resultant looping return with gusto.
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Second set: Tsonga* 0-1 Wawrinka (* denotes server; Wawrinka leads 1-0 in sets): Tsonga moves to 30-0, but quick as a flash Wawrinka brings it level with some liquid backhands, one down the line with such top-spin that purred over the net. Tsonga saves one break point with a tricky overhead smash, but concedes another with a backhand into the net that makes him bellow into the muggy Paris air in frustration. That, again, is saved as Wawrinka nets, but he can’t save a third, Tsonga netting carelessly. Wawrinka has too much for his opponent at present.
Wawrinka wins the first set 6-3
Tsonga’s got his necklace into something of a tangle, which he spends a few seconds, erm, untangling. Still, that’s not his biggest concern as those forehands keep on rainin’ in, and Wawrinka takes the first set after Tsonga nets a wide second serve.
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First set: Tsonga 3-5 Wawrinka* (* denotes server): Hail is apparently on the way later. Hail. Sweet fancy Moses. Anyway, Tsonga reacts to this news with a few delicate drop-shots that at least stop Wawrinka from smashing seven bells out of the balls for a short while, then holds after one such belt of a forehand goes long.
First set: Tsonga 2-5 Wawrinka* (* denotes server): Woof! At 0-30, Tsonga produces one of those cross-court forehand top-spun returns that seem to defy the laws of physics, disappearing over the net at such an angle that no human could’ve got anywhere near it. Wawrinka then misses a fairly straightforward inside-out forehand, perhaps trying to put just a little too much welly behind it, donating a break point to Tsonga. However, he saves it by getting the same shot right next time, then serving an ace, then forcing Tsonga to net. Tsonga will serve to stay in the first set.
First set: Tsonga* 2-4 Wawrinka (* denotes server): Tsonga looks a little sluggish thus far. Maybe it’s the heat, maybe it’s a hangover from his five-setter on Wednesday, maybe I’m imagining it. Still, he wasn’t sluggish enough to lose his serve that time, moving Wawrinka around the court nicely to hold to 15.
First set: Tsonga 1-4 Wawrinka* (* denotes server): Wawrinka goes 40-0 up but then is moved to applaud a wonderful backhand down the line from Tsonga that beats him all ends up. That’s as good as it gets for the big home favourite, as Wawrinka closes out the game. He’s started in a similar manner to the Federer game, here.
First set: Tsonga* 1-3 Wawrinka (* denotes server): Tsonga tsaunters into a 40-0 lead, but a missed first serve that went a good three yards wide sets Wawrinka off to bring it back to égalité, a phenomenal cross-court backhand return drawing level. A big forehand sets up the Swiss’s first break point, which Tsonga saves with a top-spinner with so much dip on it that it disappeared over the net then nearly dropped short of Wawrinka on the baseline. However, he sets up another break point...and this time converts it with a sensational backhand down the line. First blood to Wawrinka.
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First set: Tsonga 1-2 Wawrinka* (* denotes server): And if Tsonga’s hold was routine, Wawrinka’s next one might as well have been the Ken Livingstone-narrated song ‘Ernold Same’. Tsonga barely hit the thing more than half a dozen times.
First set: Tsonga* 1-1 Wawrinka (* denotes server): Tsonga holds to 15 in a rapid game that is about as ‘routine’ as you could ask for. A couple of booming first serves the key, there.
First set: Tsonga 0-1 Wawrinka* (* denotes server)
Tsonga’s first point draws a big cheer from a still vaguely sparse crowd out on Philippe Chatrier, and he helps himself to two break points pretty quickly. Wawrinka, dressed in his traditional ‘90s tourist in a Canary Island resort’ garb, saves them both, before a sensational rally that features a couple of marvellous drop-shots, Tsonga in the end forcing Wawrinka to net. Wawrinka then holds with the first real glimpse of one of those massive forehands that served him so well against Federer.
And we’re off. Wawrinka to serve first...
The players are out on court. It’s bloody hot out there, apparently, and there’s a possibility of some thunderstorms later.
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Andy Murray’s on later, so here’s Kevin Mitchell’s preview of that one...
Like gunfighters, they are unable to avoid each other for long. From one town to the next, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have been in each other’s sights for nearly 17 years, from a junior tournament in the Pyrenees town of Tarbes – where the Scot won for the loss of a single game – to the semi-final of the 2015 French Open in Paris, where the Serb will walk on to Court Philippe Chatrier on Friday as the undisputed No1 player in the world, favourite to win their 27th shootout.
It has been some journey, and, as each of them is 28, it is a long way from over. Djokovic, a week younger, was the first into the top 100, then the top 10 and, after 12 years on Tour, he leads his “professional friend” eight slam titles to two – although those Murray majors came against Djokovic in finals in New York andWimbledon.
Brad Gilbert, one of Murray’s coaches in the early part of his career, maintains Djokovic is the player above all others the Scot wants to beat. He might enjoy his matches against Roger Federer more, and he is probably most friendly with Rafael Nadal, but it is the Serb who gets his adrenaline running at fever pitch.
Ollie Haydon-Mulligan has a point of clarification. “Am wondering how you’ll be employing the asterisk in the Tsonga blog? I’ve noticed that it’s been used both to denote the next server and the previous server in recent Guardian live tennis blogs (see below) - I think a consistent method for all matches would be better, if possible...”
The asterisk will be used to denote the current server. Glad to have the opportunity to clear that up.
While we’re waiting for this one to start, fancy some reading about some music? Turns out Mark Kozelek, also known as Sun Kil Moon, is a reasonably unpleasant man, as Laura Snapes tells us...
“You think you’re the only person who wants to get a face-to-face interview with me? Get in line. I’m the best person you never met and one day, if you ever meet me, you’ll probably want to have my baby.”
That’s Mark Kozelek, via email, which is the way he chooses to conduct his interviews (“So I don’t get quoted with words like ‘dunno’,” he told Uncut last year, explaining his refusal to meet interviewers in person). He was – via his PR – replying to my questions about Universal Themes, his new album under the name Sun Kil Moon. Three weeks ago, I had tried to arrange a face-to-face meeting for this piece. As expected, the answer was a polite no: “He’s too scattered and distracted on tour to conduct an in-person interview and he will have to pass, but he said to tell you thank you for asking.”
As mentioned before, the last Frenchman to reach the final here was Henri Leconte in 1988. Here’s his rather unexpected journey to the final, against Mats Wilander, featuring a rather haunting a cappella version of ‘La Marseillaise’.
The final itself was pretty one-sided, Willander outclassing Leconte to win 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 in just under two hours, the day after Steffi Graf had completed her own routine demolition of Natalya Zvereva. ‘’Steffi said she was sorry it was so short,” said Willander after the match. “I’m not sorry at all. I was very happy to win.’’
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Want some stats? Want to explain to me if any of these mean anything? Step this way, nerds*! Tsonga leads the aces race 43-38, while Wawrinka has more double-faults (18-12) and only gets his first serve in 50% of the time, as opposed to Tsonga’s rate of 63%. Loads more of those here, if you’re interested.
*Sorry about that. I don’t really think you’re nerds. Dorks, maybe?
Preamble
Weird how the delicate balance of a sportsperson can be thrown off, isn’t it? In his previous game against Kei Nishikori, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga looked like he was lightly tap-dancing his way to victory, a set and 5-2 up over his opponent, but then stuff started falling off the stadium and onto the crowd. The falling masonry caused a few thankfully superficial injuries but also seemed to completely throw the big Frenchman, for while he (rather unconvincingly) managed to close out the second set, he lost momentum and the next two sets, eventually regaining his composure enough to win the fifth and the match.
Stanilas Wawrinka’s progress to this stage was far less problematic. Roger Federer might not be the gliding powerhouse he once was (he hasn’t won a Grand Slam in three years), but nevertheless big Stan’s display of skill and power was overwhelming, smashing his illustrious opponent off the court and out of the tournament. Federer seemed to briefly toy with the idea of fighting fire with fire and trading enormous groundstrokes with Wawrinka, but while he rapidly realised that was a foolish plan, the alternative of mixing things up, try the odd delicate one and throw in a spot of serve-volleying didn’t quite pan out either.
This could be a little different as Tsonga’s game is perhaps more suited to returning that raw power. The two have met six times before, winning three apiece, and twice at this tournament, again sharing honours with Wawrinka taking first blood in 2011 and Tsonga gaining revenge the following year.
This is Wawrinka’s first semi-final at Roland Garros, while Tsonga is making his second appearance at this stage and bidding to be the first Frenchman in the final since Henri Leconte some 27 years ago. The last time there was a home winner in Paris was 1983, when Yannick Noah beat ‘Game, Set And...’ Mats Willander.
If nothing else, these blokes are going to hit some balls really, really hard. And if you can’t enjoy that...
Nick will be here shortly. Meanwhile, read how Wawrinka blew Roger Federer away and Tsonga overcame Kei Nishikori in the previous round.
While Stan Wawrinka was blowing Roger Federer away in straight sets on Court Suzanne Lenglen, the gale that whipped through the French Open on day 10 came perilously close to doing the same job on Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The Frenchman was cruising at a set and 5-2 up against Kei Nishikori in his quarter-final on the tournament’s main court, when, during the changeover, a strong gust loosened an oblong-shaped sheet-metal panel, which was held by nine-inch spikes to the superstructure of the large replay screen in the western corner of the stand, and sent it crashing 50 feet into a group of maybe 100 spectators. With it went Tsonga’s equilibrium.
Three spectators were cut, bruised, shaken and taken to hospital. Everyone else returned after a half-hour delay for running repairs to the stadium but the Frenchman’s tennis also needed attention.
