The final analysis
What is left to say of this straight sets win for the Swiss ace is this: he won 71% of his points on the first serve, 65% off the second, and nearly everything he touched at the net turned to gold. He hit 41 winners to 27, had 11 fewer winners than his opponent and now Jim Courier is giving him grief about his lack of tan. I call that a fair balance of trade.
Now he’ll face the inner of Roger Federer v Mischa Zverev, and I think we all know who he’d rather play in the Australian Open semi-final. That’s all from me but thanks for stopping by for this live Australian Open coverage, and make sure you’re back for the rest of the action throughout this ninth day of the year’s first grand slam.
Stan Wawrinka progresses to the Australian Open semi-final!
Stan Wawrinka defeats Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6, 6-4, 6-3 in 2hr14min
Stanislas Wawrinka is through to the Australian Open semi-final! It was a foregone conclusion when he broke early in this third set but he closed it out with another ruthless service game. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was an honest toiler today but no match for the former champ. Wawrinka takes it in straight sets.
Third set: Stan Wawrinka* 5-3 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (*denotes next server)
Tsonga holds serve with an ace, which means that Stan Wawrinka will serve for a place in the Australian open semi-final against one of his countryman Roger Federer or Mischa Zverev. There was a booming winner from Wawrinka to start this game – his 41st for the match to Tsonga’s 27.
Third set: Stan Wawrinka 5-2 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga* (*denotes next server)
Wawrinka looks a nerveless finisher in the early stages of this game, but then starts making inexplicable errors in quite benign situations, so he’s soon at 30-40 and facing a break. He saves it with a smash and unleashes his loudest “Come on!” of the match, then absolutely canes his next serve down the middle before holding. He must have a dinner reservation.
Third set: Stan Wawrinka* 4-2 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (*denotes next server)
Things that don’t sound better in French: rock lyrics. Things that do sound better in French: negative self-talk from tennis players. Tsonga steps up now, muttering away to himself disappointedly as he slumps to 15-30 on serve, but a haymaker smash later he’s feeling a bit better about himself and holds. “C’mon Joey,” yells a local – such nicknaming convention being the greatest display of respect from an Australian.
Third set: Stan Wawrinka 4-1 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga* (*denotes next server)
Ever jogged across the office to grab something and realised it’s actually still back at your desk? That’s what Jo-Wilfried Tsonga looks like here as he guesses wrong in an attempt to stop a Wawrinka winner and can do nothing as it flashes past behind him. The world No4 holds serve in a breezy service game. Two more of those and he’s through to the semi-final.
Third set: Stan Wawrinka* 3-1 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (*denotes next server)
The genius of Stan Wawrinka is that he can play matches like this – against the 12th best player in the world – and basically sleep-walk to victory, or so it seems. Part of it is his nature but a lot is to do with his immense physical strength and deceptive stamina. Here he makes early inroads on the Tsonga serve but the Frenchman is fighting it out and strikes back to hold.
Third set: Stan Wawrinka 3-0 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga* (*denotes next server)
Big Jo’s just going for it now, which is why he leads the unforced error count 31-23. He’s really gotta make something happen on this Wawrinka service game and really lays into his groundstrokes, but it’s to no avail. Wawrinka holds for what feels a heck of a lot like a winning lead, rifling a splendid forehand winner (he leads 16-6 in that regard) down the line and closing it out.
Third set: Stan Wawrinka* 2-0 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (*denotes next server)
Oh dear. Having been on the verge of breaking serve first up in the third set and hauling himself back into the contest, Tsonga now dissolves on his own serve to hand up three break points, out-witted and, err, out-hitted? Anyway, he nets to cough up the early momentum and finds himself in plenty of bother.
Third set: Stan Wawrinka 1-0 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga* (*denotes next server)
Tsonga is now hoping a change of shirt and racket will set him straight, and he arrives full of beans in this third set, belting a cross-court backhand too hot for Wawrinka to handle first up. It’s either the sublime or the ridiculous; a Tsonga mis-hit is followed by another scything forehand, but after a scratchy showing, a number of deuces and break point saved, Wawrinka takes charge and holds. He’ll need to smarten up a bit on that effort. “C’mon Stan!” he yells at himself.
Reader Dean Borland, meanwhile, has a question – one which might be met with howls of protest though not by me: “Is Stan the forgotten man of tennis?” he asks. “Under the radar for sure. Interestingly if he wins he’ll have one more major than Murray...maybe he’s not as consistent through the season but can’t argue with how he’s playing!”
I’m not sure a three-time grand slam winner can be described as ‘under the radar’ but he definitely doesn’t attract the encomiums of some of his contemporaries. Personally I like that he plays this well with a just hint of dad bod.
Wawrinka breaks to take the second set and leads 2-0!
Second set: Stan Wawrinka* 6-4 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (*denotes next server)
This is the definition of pressure for Tsonga. He’s just been broken and Wawrinka is all over him to win the first point of what could prove a decisive game. The Frenchman recovers with a big first serve but mis-hits a backhand to go long and make it 15-30. What’s Wawrinka got for him? Guts, speed and skill. The Swiss champ covers plenty of territory in a physical rally and then sprints to the net to put away a winner and claim two set points. Tsonga goes long and he’s got!
Second set: Stan Wawrinka 5-4 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga* (*denotes next server)
Wawrinka holds and again there’s a little bit of spice in this; he really drilled one forehand at Tsonga when the Frenchman was off balance. He puts his hand up to say sorry afterwards but in the same way you do when cutting into a traffic queue and acting like you’ve been let in.
Wawrinka breaks straight back!
Second set: Stan Wawrinka* 4-4 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (*denotes next server)
Now it’s Wawrinka’s turn to heap pressure back on the Frenchman, who nets to make it 0-30 before the Swiss champ races to the net and puts away Tsonga’s looping volley and set up three break points. Tsonga nets again! Wawrinka breaks straight back!
Tsonga breaks!
Second set: Stan Wawrinka 3-4 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga* (*denotes next server)
Tsonga breaks! Oh my, this is a real turn up for the books. I was tempted to say during the last game that the Frenchman needs to strike fairly soon and that he does, chasing with manic intent to save a point that appeared unwinnable and taking the break. We have a match on our hands now.
Second set: Stan Wawrinka* 3-3 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (*denotes next server)
Wawrinka burns a challenge and Tsonga fires down a double fault on his way to holding, which he seals with an ace but no great joy. That’s his fifth ace but he’s not quite asserting himself on this match for any sustained period of time.
Second set: Stan Wawrinka 3-2 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga* (*denotes next server)
Body language update: Big Jo is just a little bit down on himself – not quite resigned to his fate but hardly brimming with joy, especially not when he gets the speed wobbles and almost stacks in an attempt to chase down another forehand winner from Wawrinka. The favourite peels off a sublime backhand winner to hold and there are gasps all round.
Second set: Stan Wawrinka* 2-2 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (*denotes next server)
Tsonga gets back on the horse with a solid service game, which he closes out in no time before heading down into the shade for a quick breather. In case you’re wondering, Wawrinka leads the winner count 22-14 at the moment, which reflects the run of play pretty well.
Second set: Stan Wawrinka 2-1 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga* (*denotes next server)
A slight opening here for Tsonga at 15-30 on Wawrinka’s second serve, and he works the fourth seed from wing to wing to set up two break points. Wawrinka advances to the net to save the first, cracking a neat forehand winner, and hauls himself back from the brink to hold. You need to take those chances, Jo.
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Second set: Stan Wawrinka* 1-1 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (*denotes next server)
Vintage Wawrinka now as the former champ rifles a forehand winner down the line to start Tsonga’s service game. The Frenchman fights back to hold and here’s some more great news: reality TV’s own Richie Strahan and Alex Nation are apparently among the celebrity guests today. That’ll be a real thrill for everyone else in the VIP section.
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Second set: Stan Wawrinka 1-0 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga* (*denotes next server)
Aggro! I’m not sure what it was all about exactly, but words were exchanged between the players at that changeover following the tiebreak. Tsonga was the instigator, and he certainly wasn’t happy. Even less so here when Wawrinka holds easily to start the second set.
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Stan Wawrinka takes the first set in a tiebreak!
Stan Wawrinka takes the first set 7-6 (7-2) against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Wawrinka takes the tiebreak! It played out thus: Wawrinka missed a chance to take a 3-0 buffer when he sliced a backhand wide in the early stages, and made an unsuccessful challenge when he repeated that mistake a point later to square it up at 2-2.
With Stan up 4-2 following a belting first serve, the Amazing Grace bloke was back and so excited he lost his voice. Moments later the Swiss favourite was up 6-2 and howling himself, and he closed it out moments later when Tsonga mis-hit long.
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First set: Stan Wawrinka 6-6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga* (*denotes next server)
We’re going to a tiebreak. It’s hardly vintage stuff but Wawrinka loses two points on his way to holding and neither player has blinked yet. Stan is 23-15 in tiebreaks and Tsonga 17-14. Here we go.
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First set: Stan Wawrinka* 5-6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (*denotes next server)
All of a sudden it’s Tsonga on the ropes, as the Frenchman needs to pull a backhand drop shot from his fundament when the ball is all but past him at the net. What a shot! That would have made it 15-40, but he takes that point and the next two to keep it on terms. Wawrinka claps him. It was a superb save.
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First set: Stan Wawrinka 5-5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga* (*denotes next server)
Another patchy moment at the net for Wawrinka here as he gets a bit too much on a drop shot and Tsonga bounds in to not only retrieve it but curl a forehand winner down the line. Wawrinka holds, but he’s having to talk himself into the contest a bit. Lethargic is how I’d put it.
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First set: Stan Wawrinka* 4-5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (*denotes next server)
Some idiot seems to be singing a pun-based song to the tune of Amazing Grace, which delays the start of this Tsonga service game, but he belts his way through it in no time, maintaining his 100% record approaching the net in a love game.
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First set: Stan Wawrinka 4-4 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga* (*denotes next server)
This is actually a bit scratchy from Wawrinka. At 15-0 he advances to the net for a volley but just pats it straight back to the Frenchman, and Tsonga whistles a backhand winner past him in no time. The world No4 recovers from there, twice executing better volleys at the net to hold serve.
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First set: Stan Wawrinka* 3-4 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (*denotes next server)
This is better from Tsonga, who serve-volley’s to perfection in the process of making it 30-15, marauding towards the net and burying a volley. He closes it out without trouble and the foxing process carries on for a bit longer.
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First set: Stan Wawrinka 3-3 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga* (*denotes next server)
Stan’s really finding his range in the latter stages of this game, peeling off an ace and then a glorious cross-court forehand winner to set up the hold. As ever, he looks like he’s operating at about 45% capacity. When he wakes up Tsonga might be in trouble.
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First set: Stan Wawrinka* 2-3 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (*denotes next server)
Tsonga is really putting his back into his serve now, and starts this game with a 205kmph rocket straight down the middle. There is a vague sense that something has to give quite soon, but it hasn’t happened yet and Tsonga holds once more. After 16 minutes it’s still on serve.
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First set: Stan Wawrinka 2-2 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga* (*denotes next server)
There is a sight to gladden the hearts of all section 12 players here as Wawrinka tries to roll his wrists over a topspin backhand but makes contact twice, sending the ball skyward and out. At 15-30 Tsonga has half an opening, but nets a noncommittal backhand slice, and Wawrinka eventually holds but not without a battle.
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First set: Stan Wawrinka* 1-2 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (*denotes next server)
Crash! Tsonga hits a huge forehand winner down the line to make it 30-0 on serve here, and it sticks out because it was a rather laconic rally from both players in the lead-up. On the style notes, Denis Istomin might be gone now but his headband spirit lives on via Big Jo, who sports a fluro orange one in this slightly trickier hold of serve. Wawrinka’s starting to warm up now.
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First set: Stan Wawrinka 1-1 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga* (*denotes next server)
If I can begin with an entirely superficial point, I do like Stan’s outfit a lot more than the same-same Nike and Asics stuff being worn by a lot of the top players. Teal and maroon wouldn’t be everyone’s first choice but he’s nailing it, along with his first service game.
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First set: Stan Wawrinka* 0-1 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (*denotes next server)
Tsonga serves first and begins beautifully in a love game, the last point of which is a rally that sends Wawrinka from wing to wing before the Frenchman cracks a winner.
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Other news
Venus Williams and Coco Vandeweghe will slug out an all-American semi-final after defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Garbine Muguruza respectively. More on that here:
Preamble
Hello all and welcome to this Australian Open quarter-final clash between fourth seed Stan Wawrinka and twelfth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a former champion and cult hero of the tournament respectively. The idea leading into this one is that Stan is the man following the departures of Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. Outright favourite? Probably.
It’s 21 degrees in Melbourne and sunny, so not a taxing heat at the pointy end of the tournament, for which both players will be glad. Stan’s taking a while to get out there for the toss but there’s a lovely moment when the young fella doing the honours nervously scratches his head instead of shaking hands with big Jo. The Frenchman is loving it.
Russell will be here shortly. If you’ve got time, here’s a reminder of how last night’s action played out at Melbourne Park:
