2011 Kooyong AAMI Classic: Jurgen Melzer debuts against 2010 event finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
An invitation only event, the 2011 Kooyong AAMI Classic is an exhibition event with singles only matches played on outdoor hard courts at the Kooyong Stadium in Melbourne.
The last first-round match of the day is of fourth seed Jurgen Melzer as he takes on the sixth seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Although, the meeting does not contribute to their official career head to head, the pair’s match today will be their third meeting on the court. Their only two past meetings came in 2008 when they met at the Miami Masters and at Bangkok event. On both instances,
Tsonga defeated the Austrian, enjoying a 2-0 lead in the head to head. Though Melzer ranks higher, the fact that Tsonga has defeated him twice will weigh on as a psychological advantage in the Frenchman’s favour.
Although, Melzer debuts at the event today, Tsonga returns for the second straight year. Seeded fifth last year, Tsonga opened against top Swede and third seed Robin Soderling. After a hard fought battle in the first set, Tsonga won the first set tiebreaker
7-0. He wrapped up the second set with a breadstick win. Moving ahead, the Frenchman was set to meet then world number four Juan Martin Del Potro. However, with Potro pulling out of the event due to a wrist injury Tsonga received a walkover into the final
match where he met and lost to Fernando Verdasco in straight sets.
The 25 year old professional returned to tennis in 2011 all fit and healthy after an injury plagued 2010. Given his knee and other injuries throughout the last season, Tsonga was unable to shine failing to win any titles or put in any final appearances.
After he was unsuccessful in defending his title at Montpellier, Tsonga retired for the year pulling himself out of the Paris Masters as well as the Davis Cup final. Tsonga’s absence from the final was a blow to the French that they paid for with the title,
losing to first time finalist Serbia.
He unofficially kicked off 2011 playing at the first exhibition event of the year, the 2010 Mubadala World Tennis Championship. He exited the event owing to his first round loss to Robin Soderling. His first 2011 ATP Tour event was the 2011 Qatar ExxonMobil
Open where he was seeded third in the main draw. He enjoyed a semi-final run at the event before losing to eventual champion Roger Federer.
Melzer, on the other hand, plays his first event of 2011 at Kooyong. He did not participate at any of the season opening triad (Brisbane, Chennai and Doha). Ranked eleventh in the world, Melzer enjoyed a successful 2010 where he climbed seventeen places
in the ranking throughout the season. Other than winning the home title at Vienna, Melzer also enjoyed a final run at the Hamburg event. Partnering Philipp Petzschner, Melzer also won the doubles crown at Zagreb and Wimbledon, a feat which qualified them for
the elite eight team field at the 2010 season finale event in London. Melzer also won the doubles crown at Shanghai Masters partnering Paes. Teamed up with Jonathan Erlich, Melzer enjoyed a final run at the Bangkok event.
Given the statistical advantage, Tsonga is clearly the favourite to win today. The semi-final run at Doha also suggests that Tsonga is in good form for the match, though Melzer has been practicing three times a day so the Austrian truly means business. With
both pros equally matched, the match is truly going to be thoroughly entertaining.
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