ATP Metz: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga wins record-breaking fourth title
The 34-year-old Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has been known as one of the finest indoor players in the last decade or so, capable of beating some of the world's best players under the roof and claiming 13 titles overall. The latest one (the 18th in total from 30 finals) came at home in Metz, beating Aljaz Bedene 6-7, 7-6, 6-3 in two hours and 47 minutes for a record-breaking fourth crown at the Moselle Open, returning into the top-40 for the first time since May 2018! In the semi-final, Tsonga ousted Lucas Pouille in two tie breaks and he had to work hard against the Slovenian as well, with Bedene delivering one of his best serving performances in a career this week, barely getting broken before the title match and dominating with his first serve to mount the pressure on his opponents. Nonetheless, it was Jo-Wilfried who had the upper hand behind the initial shot in the final, dropping only 20 points in his games and fending off the only break chance he faced to keep Aljaz under constant stress.
The Slovenian somehow won the opening set and had a break opportunity at 4-3 in set number two that could have sealed the deal for him, with Tsonga saving it to stay in contention and playing on a higher level in comparison to the rival on the other side of the net in the rest of the encounter to grab the title and become the first player with four crowns in Metz. Aljaz fended off a break chance in the second game to avoid an early setback, with both players serving well until the tie break that Bedene claimed 7-4 after forcing an error from Jo-Wilfried in the 11th point, prevailing despite the fact he won just seven points on the return in comparison to 15 for the home player.
Returners won only 15 points overall in the second set and it was the Slovenian who could have moved in front in game eight, denied by an ace from Tsonga who leveled the score at 4-4 and grabbed the tie break 7-4 with a powerful forehand that Aljaz failed to control, sending the clash into a decider after an hour and 55 minutes. Serving at only 39%, Jo-Wilfried controlled the pace in his games there, dropping only six points and taking the first 14 points (!!) of the set to forge the crucial advantage that carried him home. His forehand worked like a charm in those moments, forcing an error from Aljaz to break him at love in game two and hitting four winners in game three to confirm the advantage and move over the top with four winners at 5-3, landing a perfect forehand in the last point to start a huge celebration of his second ATP title of the season after Montpellier in February.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2VbHVS0
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