Jo-Wilfried Tsonga battles past Grigor Dimitrov into the third round – Wimbledon Championships 2011
World number 19 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France had to bring out his best game to beat world number 62 Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in four sets 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-4 7-6(8) in the second round of Wimbledon Championships at the All England
Clun in London on Thursday. The French needed three hours and 33 minutes to overcome his opponent in a marathon match.
Tsonga and Dimitrov failed to break each other in the first set, levelling the score at 6-6 to take the set to a tie-break. The Bulgarian hit a couple of forehand winners to claim two mini-breaks in the tie-break, winning it 7-4.
Dimitrov delivered 67 percent of the first serves and ten winners in the first set.
Tsonga broke the Bulgarian in the third game of the second set and held the advantage throughout to win it 6-4. The French fired six aces and fourteen winners in the second set. The right-handed claimed 44 percent of the return
points in the second set. Tsonga capitalised on one of the four break point opportunities he created on Dimitrov’s serve and succeeded in saving the only break point he faced on his own serve in the second set.
In a similar fashion to the second set, the Frenchman needed a single break of serve to bag the third set 6-4. Tsonga played good at the net, sealing nine of the ten net approach points. The six feet and two inches tall won 88
percent of the first service points in the third set.
Dimitrov came roaring in the fourth set and looked to take the match set to a deciding set as he raced to a 3-0 lead. However, rain came to the rescue of Tsonga and when play resumed, the Frenchman claimed five straight games to
turnaround the fourth set. Serving for the match at 5-4, Tsonga failed to hold his serve. The set was taken into a tie-break and the French came out victorious on the fourth match point, winning the tie-break 10-8. The 26-year-old converted 48 percent of the
returns into points in the fourth set.
The French said, after the match, "He was a bit on fire sometimes. I thought if I stayed consistent he would miss but he didn't miss and it was a very difficult match. I am very happy to get through."
Tsonga is slated to play former world number 5 Fernando Gonzalez of Chile in the third round.
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