Federer falls to Tsonga at Wimbledon
Roger Federer has crashed out of Wimbledon in the quarterfinals after losing to 12th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in five sets on Wednesday.
The Frenchman won 3-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in a match lasting just over three hours. It’s the first time Federer, a six-time Wimbledon champion, has lost after being two sets up.
After a first set dominated by Federer, Tsonga stepped up his game, with the second set going to a tie-break, won 7-3 by Federer.
Tsonga led into the third set, breaking Federer’s second service game and seeing off attempts by the world number three to come back.
There was no change in the fourth, with Tsonga again breaking Federer early, and the Swiss failing to crack him.
In the final set, Tsonga again started out stronger, breaking Federer in the first game. A lackluster Federer only just managed to hold his serve in the remaining games, but crucially failed to break him.
After his win, a beaming Tsonga said: “It’s never easy to play against Roger. He’s the biggest champion in my sport. That’s crazy.”
Queens finalist
Statistically Federer had fewer unforced errors – 11 to Tsonga’s 22 – and double faults, but hit fewer winners. Tsonga meanwhile served 18 aces to Federer’s 17.
Federer, who turns 30 in August, had won four of his past five encounters against Tsonga.
Two weeks earlier the 26-year-old Frenchman had made it to the final of Queens, seen as a warm-up for Wimbledon, where he was beaten by Britain’s Andy Murray.
Tsonga, who has an ATP singles ranking of 19, has just five career titles to his name. He plays Novak Djokovic in his semifinal.
Federer suffered the same fate at Wimbledon last year, losing to Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals. His most recent Wimbledon win was in 2009.
After reaching the final of the French Open, he had gone into the tournament hoping for a seventh Wimbledon championship and a 17th grand slam title overall.
“I think Jo played great tennis from beginning to end. I don’t remember having had a break point after the first game,” Federer told a post-match press conference.
“I thought I had the game to win the tournament. Apart from the score … I am very satisifed with my performance. It’s difficult to end a tournament like this, but he played an extraordinary game. He did not give me a chance.”
Grand slam finals without Roger Federer since Federer played, and won, his first major final at Wimbledon in 2003:
2003 US Open _ Andy Roddick def. Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-3.
2004 French Open _ Gaston Gaudio def. Guillermo Coria, 0-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 8-6.
2005 Australian Open _ Marat Safin def. Lleyton Hewitt, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
2005 French Open _ Rafael Nadal def. Mariano Puerta, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-1, 7-5.
2008 Australian Open_ Novak Djokovic def. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (2).
2010 French Open _ Rafael Nadal def. Robin Soderling, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.
2010 Wimbledon _ Rafael Nadal def. Tomas Berdych, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.
2010 US Open _ Rafael Nadal def. Novak Djokovic, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.
2011 Australian Open _ Novak Djokovic def. Andy Murray 6-4, 6-2, 6-3.
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