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This is my tennis blog, Lefty Advantage. Tennis is my biggest passion in life and I started this site to discuss the great game. I mainly follow the career of Roger Federer, but I truly love watching all tennis, whether it be the final of a Grand Slam
or a junior tournament on the other side of the world.

I have played tennis for 13 years. If you ever met me, I could talk your head off about all things tennis for hours on end if you would let me. Welcome, and enjoy the writing!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Federer Outlasts Tsonga in 5 sets

Roger Federer earned a thrilling 5-set win against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-3 in 3 hours and 34 minutes.

Fed came out of the gate hot, breaking in the first game of the match, but Tsonga broke back in the sixth game of the match to level at 3-3. The set went into a tiebreak in which Roger went up a mini-break early and didn't look back from there as he closed it out 7-4. In the second, Tsonga broke in the seventh game to go up 4-3 and he would hold out from there to even the match at a set apiece. Roger only won two return points in the entire set.

In the third, Fed went up an early break but the Frenchman broke straight back in surprising fashion. The set was on the line at 5-5 when Roger went down 0-30, but came up with a stunning Wawrinka-like backhand down the line to save himself. He got out of the hole and the set went to a tiebreak.  Fed went up a quick mini-break again, but a brain cramp gave the mini-break back. On the seventh point at 3-3, he came up with a clutch point on the Tsonga serve (just as he did in against Raonic at 3-3 in their breaker). However Jo got the mini-break back once again. Roger was up to the challenge though, and hit an exquisite backhand down the line at 5-4, and won the set after an amazing defensive point to take a two sets to one lead.

In the fourth, Tsonga did not go away and broke serve in the sixth game to go up 4-2. It's all the opening he would need and he leveled the match at two sets all - the second five-setter in the head to head. In the decider though, Roger was up to the challenge, breaking in the 4th game to go up 3-1 and consolidating the break for 4-1. Tsonga did not quit when facing break points the next game and forced Roger to win it the hard way. After saving 4 match points at 2-5, Roger dug out of a 15-30 hole and capitalized on his 5th match point, but first on his serve. An exciting and thrilling win in the end, a win that Fed fully earned.

It was a hard-fought battle from start to end, and Tsonga played some huge tennis, almost like his performance against Roger in the Wimbledon 2011 quarterfinals. He was hammering the ball hard and didn't drop the quality of his play in the second and fourth sets after Roger won the tiebreaks.

To analyze Roger's performance, it wasn't pretty and it certainly was a big struggle, but he came through in the end and played some clutch tennis when he had to. The numbers weren't pretty - 49 winners to 47 unforced errors and 4/18 on break point chances, but he got the job done and the win should give him a big boost of confidence. He got through Jo playing his most explosive tennis and rose to every challenge he faced. Had a few points gone differently, he could have easily lost the match in 4 sets.

Roger wasn't serving his best, and he wasn't as sharp off the ground as he was in previous games, as the numbers indicate. But Tsonga was penetrating the court with his hard and flat groundstrokes and he played a generally solid tactical match - only approaching the net on a ball to Roger's backhand and ripping the ball big up the line. Roger was pushed back in many of the rallies and was forced to use his great reflexes and racket skills time and time again. The quickness of the courts this year certainly helped him hit past Roger's stout defense for an elongated period of time.

Murray awaits in the semis, who beat Jeremy Chardy without breaking a sweat, to absolutely nobody's surprise. That match will be much different from a tactical perspective but probably more physical. I think Roger will be able to attack more as Murray isn't as aggressive. I expect Fed will be fine physically for the match; even though he's 31, he is still in elite shape and he'll be up for it mentally. It will be a very tough match but if Roger can recover well and play the way we know he can, I see a tight 4-set win.

In the shocking news of the day, Serena Williams went out to 19 year-old Sloane Stephens in three sets. Serena injured her ankle in the match and apparently had been having back problems, but a great win for the young Sloane. She will take on Azarenka in the semis. What a story it would be if she could pull the upset and take on Sharapova or Li Na. The women's semis take place Thursday night, as does the first men's semi, Djokovic vs Ferrer.

Looking forward to the rest of the tennis action!

Kyle

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