Another exciting day at SW19 as the men took centre stage for there quarter final clashes. The question that everyone was asking is will the so called "big 4" make it to the semi-final again like they did in Paris for the French Open.
Centre Court- The answer was no as the centre court crowd got the most thrilling match on the championship as Tsonga pulled off one of the most stunning fight backs in men's history to upset the form books from 2 sets to love down Tsonga fought to win in 3 sets to 2.
The shock didnt look on at all in the first set as Federer took control from the word go. He took an early lead as he broke in the very first service game from Tsonga. Federer looked really good through his ground-strokes and his forehand and backhand was working perfectly. Not only did his ground-strokes look good his serve was working very well and really controlled the first set. Tsonga was working very hard to just hold onto his serve throughout and was not making any inroads into the Federer serve. He eventually lost 6-3. The second set was much more competitive as Tsonga started to get his radar right and in tune. He was going for his shots more and really flattened out both his forehand and backhand. It was helping him serve out his games and was getting into some games but Federer was up to the challenge. Many expert saying Tsonga had to win the set to have an chance. An entertaining set of tennis but no break through and it went to another tie-break. Unfortunately for Tsonga Federer level just went up another notch as he really dominated the tie-break. He was just taking that ball on an little earlier he was hitting the ball deep and wasnt giving any short balls for Tsonga to pull away. Federer was so good that Tsonga was 5-0 down. He was never going to get back from an 5-0 lead and did loss in the end 7-3 and the tie seemed to be heading for an early finish.
Tsonga knew the only way he could get back into the game is starting off strongly in the third set to have an chance of making "Mission Impossible" possible and that didnt look likely when he was 0-30 down in his first service game but somehow won the game with some big hits. The crowd getting behind him seemed to inspire him and in Federer next service game he was able to get an first break on his serve. The crowd lifted and he was lifted now with new life he was starting to dominate the rallies on his serve. He was able to stay strong and hold onto her serve and play this risky game of not using too much energy in trying to get an double break. The risk seemed to pay off as Tsonga was able to hold on and win an tight third set 6-4.
The forth set was as exciting as the third. Tsonga seemed to go for his shots but this time Federer seemed rattled. He was starting to make mistakes that he would never have made he started to miss the lines and was unable to attack the Tsonga serve too many times. Tsonga had an few 0-30s to deal with and Federer was missing shots that he would get 9 times out of 10 normally and was broken early in the 4th set. The only good thing for Federer after going down the break he seemed to hold her serve comfortably so always putting the pressure back on Tsonga but Tsonga was in inspired form and with the crowd behind him was able to answer everything which was put in front of him. Not only was he hitting winners and booming serves he also had that touch play which kept Federer guessing and having that element of surprise. He again was able to hold serve all the way to the end of the set and had brought it back to 2-2 winning it 6-4.
Federer had never lost an match in an Gram Slam from 2 sets up but the upset was on and it was really an reality when Tsonga went up an break in the first game of the 5th set. For the first time he was up in the match. The crowd on the edge of there seats watched with amazement as Tsonga then played his best tennis hitting angles and balls to areas which are very difficult. On top of that Federer intensity and his form had dipped and he was slipping to defeat. Game after game went but still Federer could not get into the Tsonga serve. But the big opportunity for Federer came at the score of 4-3 down an break where he scored 1 winner and an Tsonga unforced error going up 0-30. Tsonga missing his first serve he then hit an good deep shot for his first and like an true grass court player went up for the second shot an shot which had made him the most feared man on grass ever he hit surprisingly long. An let off for Tsonga and he took his opportunity well as he won the next 2 points even though Federer got to 40 all through another unforced error Tsonga hit too big serves to go within an game of the match. Federer did what he had to do winning his serve but Tsonga played an nerveless last game to take the game to love and record his second ever victory from sets to love down and Federer first ever 2 sets lost in an Gram Slam with Tsonga winning 3-6, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
The second match on centre was an bit more convincing as Britain's number 1 Andy Murray beat the unseeded Spanish player Lopez in straight sets. Even though he was unseeded he was dangerous having an big serve and already knocking out Roddick 2 rounds ago. A criticism of his of the previous rounds was he started slow but today he looked focused and calm as he made Lopez work to hold his serve in every game. Murray had been serving well going into this match and continued to do so in this match. While he was serving holding easily he was able to get into the Lopez serve and stuff out his biggest weapon. This effected Lopez as he was unable to get many cheap points and was just about holding until the 6th game where Murray won an long game which kept being advantage and deuce until Murray eventually forced Lopez into an mistake to get that all important break. He converted the break and even though Lopez held his next game Murray was able to win the first set to 15 Lopez had no break chances at all in the first set.
The second set seemed to go like the first. Murray was very impressive with serve and when it did get to rallies he was able to dictate the pace of the rally and was able to hold his serve easily again and Lopez struggling. The game at 1-1 Murray had 2 break points but it took Lopez best tennis to stop the Brit from taking the game. An couple games later though that pressure had come off as Murray was really asking Lopez the question and making him hit the extra balls and by doing this Murray force 2 errors from Lopez which should have been easy to make but having to play that extra shot always gives you an chance of winning the point and on one of the unforced errors Murray broke. His serve had not let him down at all during the rest of the set as Murray didnt face 1 break point in either of the 2 sets.
Game very much in Murray's favour and he knew as long as Lopez doesnt get an good start this game is was his. Lopez did start off brightly and held his first 2 service games and took Murray to deuce at 2-2 but an forehand pass and an forehand winner stopped the danger and in the next game was able to break Lopez. The only way Murray was going to loss this match was an injury he picked up at 1-1 in the third but his mind stayed focus on the job and was serving well. He was heading to victory at 4-3 serving for an 5-3 lead when Lopez put the most pressure on the Murray serve for the first time was 15-40 up in the game. Lopez messed up the first opportunity with an horrible chip and charge run which went straight out the second chance was an interesting rally where Murray had to play an really good forehand which was un-returnable to dig himself out. Lopez saved an few game points but was unable to stop Murray holding. Lopez did hold his next game but Murray was able to have an love holding game hitting 3 Aces including on match point take it 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Court 1- What ever centre court could do for excitement court 1 could do just as well as they had two very entertaining matches. First up young qualifier Bernard Tomic of Australia played the man who has only lost one match in the whole year Djokovic. The gulf in difference was evident in the first set as Djokovic came out firing and in control while the Australian came out slow and an bit nervous and he was hit all over the park as Djokovic raced through the first set winning 6-2. The second set was an much more entertaining set. What Tomic was doing strongly was give Djokovic no pace in the ground strokes and then suddenly flatten out an forehand or backhand winner. It wasnt convention tennis and Djokovic was struggling to pick the pace and work with what he had. He was able to get into Djokovic's serves and really play with him on the rallies play the waiting game and then hit these monster shots which are un-returnable. He had an early break to go up 3-1 Tomic and even had another chance to break in the 6th game having 2 more break point chances but he wasnt able to take those however Tomic was able to hold onto his serves despite being taken to deuce an few times and closed out the set 6-3.
Now we had an game on our hands with both men knew that they were in a battle. It seemed like Tomic was coming out on top and that position was even more strengthened when he took an early break in game 4 where Djokovic hit an forehand long. He looked rattled but on game 6 Tomic got nervous and his first serves started to desert him and he was broken back through the worse possible way by double faulting. Djokovic from then took over as his service rhythm had returned and Tomic seemed to crumble under the pressure. He went on to break again to take the 3rd 6-3. The 4th set was an fascinating set of tennis as Tomic had regrouped and composed himself for another entertaining set of tennis as there were many rallies over 20 shots which Tomic was winning a lot of them with his flattened forehand and backhands. The court 1 crowd seemed amazed. They both were in each others service games but both were able to hold on and this continued until the crucial 11th game which was an long game and appropriately the break was secure for Djokovic when he won an rally which went over 30 shots, not for the first time, and won the point. No one could doubt what that meant to him when he roared out of his joy that he won the break. The crowd gave an Standing ovation for both men as they had seen some great shot makings and artistry in the match and it was sealed in the next game as Djokovic served it out to win 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
The last match was Nadal and it was an erratic Nadal at times but it was good enough to get past an battling Fish. But it didnt look like an erratic Nadal at the start as Nadal raced through the first set as Fish looked helpless. His forehand looked good he was running around the court well and was getting into the Fish serve while Fish was unable to get into Nadal's serve. For that reason one break was enough for Nadal to win the set. He did have chances to break again but Fish was able to hold on but Nadal won in the first set 6-3. The second was a bit like the first set. He was dominating the rallies getting into the Fish serve but Fish was going for his shots more. Maybe at times an bit too aggressive which cost him the break again. He did rally hard to get 0-15 and 15-30 and even an break point chance once which Nadal hit an ace on to win that point and was again able to take an 2 sets to love lead by winning the set again by 6-3 as he was racing to the semi-final.
The third set was an super effort from Fish as he really went after the Nadal serve. He was attacking both the first and second serve. Despite missing the lines quite an few times he did get some reward for this new approach by going up 0-30 twice in the early parts of the sets. He was holding his serve better by making the lines and making Nadal really work for it. It was 6-5 going by serve and heading to an tie-break. Nadal to serve to stay in the set and Fish played one of the most exciting games to break Nadal. He hit 4 winners and missed one my inches as he broke the Nadal serve in the last game of the set taking it 7-5. With the bit between his teeth and started off well by holding his first 2 service games but his aggression was his downfall as he gave away his game by making unforced errors. Fish battled hard but the Nadal was strong enough to take the match 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Semi- Final Line Up Men's
Tsonga vs Djokovic
Nadal vs Murray
To be played on Friday afternoon on centre court.
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