Local
favourite, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, regained his composure just in time to hold off
a stirring fightback from Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori, winning 6-1 6-4
4-6 3-6 6-3 to reach the French Open semi-finals on Tuesday.
Tsonga, who often
suffers lapses in concentration, lost his momentum following a 40-minute
suspension in play after a side panel from the scoreboard fell on the crowd
from the upper part of Court Philippe Chatrier, injuring three fans.
Tsonga, a semi-finalist
at Roland Garros in 2013, relied on his booming forehand to unsettle the U.S.
Open runner-up, who only got into his groove late in the second set after the
interruption.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, cheered on by a passionate French crowd, beat Kei Nishikori in five sets on Tuesday
Tsonga wrote a message to his fans on the court, before lying in the clay himself in celebration
Tsonga looks to the Court Philippe Chatrier crowd after beating fifth seed Nishikori at the French Open
Tsonga, looking to
become the first Frenchman to win his home grand slam since Yannick Noah in
1983, struggled in the third and fourth sets, but was more focused in the
decider.
He will face eighth seed
Stan Wawrinka, who knocked out fellow Swiss and second seed Roger Federer, for
a place in Sunday's final.
'ROLAND JE T'AIME,'
Tsonga wrote with his feet on the Paris clay before laying down on his back,
his arms outstretched.
'I am super happy it was
tough because he came back strong but I kept my head high,' Tsonga told
reporters.
What looked to be
heading for a rapid win turned out to be a massive battle for Tsonga.
The Frenchman raced into
a 4-0 lead as Nishikori showed early nerves and he wrapped up the opening set
with a forehand winner. He won his fourth game in succession to open a 2-0 lead
in the second but another ugly backhand unforced error by Nishikori put the
Frenchman 4-1 ahead.
Tsonga returns a shot during his Men's quarter-final match against Japan's Nishikori in Paris
Fifth-seed Nishikori, after going two sets down, put up a brave fight to take the quarter-final match to a fifth set
Play was suspended for
40 minutes at 5-2 after the panel fell on to the crowd.
The break helped
Nishikori, who claimed a break back, and although Tsonga clinched the set, the
momentum had shifted.
Tsonga wasted three
break points for 5-4 in the third set and Nishikori seized his opportunity to
take the set following a service return blaster.
Looking at the sky, his
team in the players' box and talking to himself, the Frenchman looked rattled.
Nishikori piled on the
pressure and levelled the match with a flat forehand.
But with his back to the
wall, Tsonga found his rhythm again, breaking for 3-1 in the decider when his
charge to the net forced Nishikori to send a forehand long and he closed out
the set to seal victory.
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