Alexandr Dolgopolov surprises Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to reach last eight – Mutua Madrid Open 2012
Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov, who is the 16th at this event, staged an upset by beating fourth seed, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France, in three sets 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(2) in the round of 16 at the Mutua Madrid Open in Spain
on Thursday.
Tsonga drew the first blood, striking in the fourth game of the first set and winning his next serve to attain a 4-1 lead. However, Dolgopolov came back in style, as he snatched following three to level the score at 4-4. Both players
held their next serve convincingly to take it to 5-5. Dolgopolov dropped just three points afterwards, claiming two games in a row to seal it 7-5.
The Ukrainian gave an above average serve performance, as he smashed a couple of aces and 67 percent of the first deliveries, pocketing 15 of the 20 points on them in the opener. The right-hander also had an impressive conversion
rate on the second serves, sealing 6 of the 10 points on them.
Dolgopolov and Tsonga started in a steady manner in the second set, holding their serves in the opening six games to equalise the score at 3-3. The Frenchman pressed the accelerator after that, as he snatched three consecutively
and closed it 6-3.
The fifth ranked contestant, Tsonga, pounded four aces and 67 percent of the first serves, claiming 14 of the 22 points on them in the second set. The Gingins, Switzerland resident did a brilliant job by capturing eight of the
11 points on the second deliveries but lost eight of the 10 on the second returns. Tsonga saved the one break point he faced and converted one of the two he received.
The French and Ukrainian started the decider by swapping four breaks in the first six games, squaring off the score at 3-3. The rest of the sent went with the serve, taking the score to 6-6 and forcing a tie-breaker. Dolgopolov
raised the level of his game, opening up a 5-1 lead and capitalising on it to triumph 7-6(2).
The Ukrainian fired three aces and a single double fault, delivering 59 percent of the first serves and bagging 19 of the 24 points on them.
Dolgopolov needed two hours and 18 minutes to oust the Frenchman in a hard fought encounter.
The 23-year-old is drawn to face Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina in the quarters. The 10th seed, Del Potro, toppled Marin Cilic in the third round.
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