Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

**Sir David Gray** · 24-01-2008 08:22 PM

Anyone else see this guy's stunning performance against Rafael Nadal this morning?

Absolutely tore Nadal to pieces in a Grand Slam Semi Final winning 6-2 6-3 6-2!

This is the guy that beat Andy Murray in the first round, I bet Murray doesn't feel so bad about his early exit now!

Just to emphasise how well Tsonga played, he hit 49 winners compared with Nadal's 13, he hit 17 aces to Nadal's 2 and beat Nadal 3 sets to love, when Nadal came into the match having not dropped a single set in any of his previous matches at this year's Australian Open!

Nadal also only managed to get 3 break points on Tsonga's serve and didn't convert any of them. Tsonga managed to break Nadal's serve 5 times!

The highlights of the match will be on tonight at 10pm on Eurosport so if anyone's interested, I would recommend watching it because it was sensational tennis by Tsonga.

That's him now in the Australian Open Final on Sunday, which means he is the first man to have his first ever final in a Grand Slam in over a decade.

He will now face the winner of tomorrow's match between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic and if it is Federer that he plays, it will obviously be an even bigger step up in class for him as he is aiming to break Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam titles, he is currently on 12.

Federer is also looking to equal Andre Agassi's record of winning the Australian Open four times and looking to become the first man to win the Australian Open three years in a row since the Open Era.

Needless to say it would be some achievement if Tsonga played Federer in the final and beat him but having seen him today, I wouldn't bet against it!

***JimBHibees*** · 25-01-2008 10:21 AM

I see Federer has also just been beaten by Djokovic in 3 sets also. Seems a bit of a new order developing.

**Sir David Gray** · 25-01-2008 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by JimBHibees

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I see Federer has also just been beaten by Djokovic in 3 sets also. Seems a bit of a new order developing.

Yup Djokovic did really well but Federer was very out of sorts and to be honest, he hasn't been particularly good all tournament.

Good luck to both Tsonga and Djokovic on Sunday. Although neither have won a Grand Slam before, Djokovic has been in a final before (last year's US Open) whereas Tsonga's previous best at a Grand Slam was at last year's Wimbledon when he got to the 4th round.

However, having said all that my money's still on Tsonga to win. I think he will go a very long way in the game.

**Hank Schrader** · 25-01-2008 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by FalkirkHibee

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Yup Djokovic did really well but Federer was very out of sorts and to be honest, he hasn't been particularly good all tournament.

Good luck to both Tsonga and Djokovic on Sunday. Although neither have won a Grand Slam before, Djokovic has been in a final before (last year's US Open) whereas Tsonga's previous best at a Grand Slam was at last year's Wimbledon when he got to the 4th round.

However, having said all that my money's still on Tsonga to win. I think he will go a very long way in the game.

The new Sampras according to one of the BBC reporters. The guy looks the part and to hammer Nadal in the way he did proves he is going to be a major player in years to come.

Saying that I want to see Djokovic win, have a soft spot for him and he is a class act.

Going to be a great final but not as good as the ladies one because Ana Ivanovic is playing

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**~~The cooler king~~** · 25-01-2008 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by FalkirkHibee

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Anyone else see this guy's stunning performance against Rafael Nadal this morning?

Absolutely tore Nadal to pieces in a Grand Slam Semi Final winning 6-2 6-3 6-2!

This is the guy that beat Andy Murray in the first round, I bet Murray doesn't feel so bad about his early exit now!

Just to emphasise how well Tsonga played, he hit 49 winners compared with Nadal's 13, he hit 17 aces to Nadal's 2 and beat Nadal 3 sets to love, when Nadal came into the match having not dropped a single set in any of his previous matches at this year's Australian Open!

Nadal also only managed to get 3 break points on Tsonga's serve and didn't convert any of them. Tsonga managed to break Nadal's serve 5 times!

The highlights of the match will be on tonight at 10pm on Eurosport so if anyone's interested, I would recommend watching it because it was sensational tennis by Tsonga.

That's him now in the Australian Open Final on Sunday, which means he is the first man to have his first ever final in a Grand Slam in over a decade.

He will now face the winner of tomorrow's match between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic and if it is Federer that he plays, it will obviously be an even bigger step up in class for him as he is aiming to break Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam titles, he is currently on 12.

Federer is also looking to equal Andre Agassi's record of winning the Australian Open four times and looking to become the first man to win the Australian Open three years in a row since the Open Era.

Needless to say it would be some achievement if Tsonga played Federer in the final and beat him but having seen him today, I wouldn't bet against it!

The lad has been awesome to watch.
Will be up to watch the final to pick up some tips.

**Sir David Gray** · 25-01-2008 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by Puzzle6207

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The new Sampras according to one of the BBC reporters. The guy looks the part and to hammer Nadal in the way he did proves he is going to be a major player in years to come.

Saying that I want to see Djokovic win, have a soft spot for him and he is a class act.

Going to be a great final but not as good as the ladies one because Ana Ivanovic is playing

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I quite like him as well but he needs to cut out the length of time he's taking to serve. He was warned once today by the umpire and the commentator reckons he was spoken to unofficially when he sat down at the change of ends.

Some times he's bouncing the ball 30 times before he serves which is far too long.

As for Tsonga, I think it's a bit early to start drawing comparisons between him and Pete Sampras as he is up there alongside the likes of Bjorn Borg and Roger Federer as one of the greatest ever tennis players in modern times but to beat Rafael Nadal in such a convincing manner is pretty phenomenal and he is some size of a man as well.

I reckon he will win on Sunday but he's still a long way off Pete Sampras IMO.

**~~harvey~~** · 25-01-2008 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by Puzzle6207

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The new Sampras according to one of the BBC reporters. The guy looks the part and to hammer Nadal in the way he did proves he is going to be a major player in years to come.

Saying that I want to see Djokovic win, have a soft spot for him and he is a class act.

Going to be a great final but not as good as the ladies one because Ana Ivanovic is playing

<<<<Yum yum yummy yum yum

Would like to see Djokovic win too. About time someone broke up the the big two of Federer and Nadal.