Novak Djokovic advances to title match as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga retires in semi-final – Rogers Cup 2011
World number one Novak Djokovic of Serbia was leading 6-4, 3-0 when the French Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, ranked fifteen places below him, was forced to retire from the Rogers Cup 2011 due to an injury. Playing in its 122nd edition
this year, the Canadian Masters is held in Montreal and Toronto in alternate years. The Serb secured a final spot on Saturday after earning this retirement victory over the 26-year-old Frenchman.
Top seed of this Masters event, Djokovic displayed nerves of steel and soul of platinum to haunt the thirteenth seeded Frenchman who was unable to continue his match due to right arm injury after being one set and 0-3 down in the
second set. The Serb carried his winning momentum from his success at the Wimbledon Championships’ semi-final clash earlier this season against Tsonga. After earning this one hour retirement victory, he also improved his head-to-head record against the Frenchman
to 4-5, just one win away before calling it even.
The Serb number one confidently arrived at the Uniprix Stadium and smoothly plucked in entire serves through exquisite forehands from his arsenal of skills. He maintained focus throughout the set and was never threatened by the
Frenchman in terms of breakpoints. Further mustering the set, Djokovic seek four breakpoint opportunities of which he converted one in the last game to clinch the opener with a 6-4 win. He also registered a spectacular 93 percent win on his slightly lower
first serve share.
24-year-old Serb kept momentum rolling into the final set and unleashed flurry of groundstrokes to reel off first three games in a row before Tsonga was forced to retire due to arm injury.
"I reached another final, which makes me really happy," said the delighted Djokovic. "I did win this tournament before, which helps a little bit. I really like playing in Montreal. I think the atmosphere is really good. The crowd
is coming in big numbers. Obviously I'm lifting the level of my game each match, which is important prior to tomorrow's challenge."
The Serb is inching to become the world’s first player to win five ATP Masters 1000 event in a season. Sixth seeded American Mardy Fish awaits Djokovic in the final showdown.
"It's important when you play a player like Mardy to hold your composure, to be patient and wait, wait for the chance on his service games, try to have high percentage of the first serves and stay aggressive," believes Djokovic.
The Serbian star is also bidding to become the first player to win a title in his number one debut after Pete Sampras in 1993.
Fish, on the other hand, secured this spot after trashing an unseeded Serb, Janko Tipsarevic in straight sets in one hour and sixteen minutes.
Tags: