Roger Federer vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga – Quarterfinal Preview: Wimbledon Championships 2011
Race to glory at Wimbledon has reduced to just eight men now and the world number three, Roger Federer of Switzerland, will take on the 12th seed Frenchman, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-final on Wednesday.
The highly anticipated contest will be played on the Centre Court of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, England, with the winner getting a berth in the semi-final of the third Grand Slam tournament of the running
year.
Six times winner of Wimbledon Championships, Federer has been in his prime form throughout the tournament and has registered authoritative victories en route to quarter-finals. The Swiss maestro wrapped up straight sets victories
in the opening three matches he played at Wimbledon this year but dropped the first set in the fourth round clash against the crafty Russian, 18th seed Mikhail Youzhny. Federer regrouped very quickly to blow away Youzhny in the following three sets,
finishing the contest at 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, to make it into the quarter-finals of the mega event.
On the other hand, the tall Frenchman made a huge upset in the fourth round, defeating the world number six, David Ferrer of Spain in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(1), to book a meeting with the Swiss maestro. Tsonga surprised everyone
present at the Court No.3 on Monday afternoon when he manhandled seventh seeded David Ferrer in straight sets and has came up as a demolishing force in the event.
Federer has been struggling to get back his vintage form throughout the running ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) season and he finally got in his touch last month, when he reached the final of the French Open, only to
be defeated by his arch rival, Rafael Nadal. The Swiss continued his brilliant form at Wimbledon and devastated every opponent he faced en route to the final eight of the tournament. He had a shaky start in his fourth round match against Youzhny but recovered
from the slump with great mastery to come out as the winner in the end.
Tsonga and Federer have faced each other on five prior occasions, with the French winning just one time and the third seed being victorious on four occasions. Federer is running a three-match winning streak against the Frenchman,
with two victories being registered earlier this year at Doha and Rome. Although the Swiss lead the head-to-head series against Tsonga by 4-1, both men have never faced each other on grass court. It will be very interesting to see how the young French will
hold the pressure while competing against the six-time champion on the grass court for the first time in his career.
It is Tsonga’s second consecutive appearance in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon, as he was defeated by the world number four Andy Murray 7–6(5), 6–7(5), 2–6, 2–6, last year. Hopefully he comes up with something special on Wednesday
to take down the world number three.
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