Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: 'After beating Roger Federer, I urinated blood'

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga claimed his second Masters 1000 title in Toronto 2014, beating four top-10 rivals in the last four encounters. The Frenchman destroyed Novak Djokovic in the third round and prevailed over Andy Murray to reach the semis. In the battle for the final, Jo-Wilfried ousted Grigor Dimitrov to set Roger Federer clash on August 10. Facing each other for the 16th time, Jo-Wilfried defeated Roger 7-5, 7-6 in an hour and 48 minutes, prevailing in the decisive moments to lift a notable crown. Tsonga lost 15 points behind the initial shot (33 from 35 after landing the first serve in) and never faced a break point. Still, he had to dig deep to cross the finish line, having nothing left in the tank after the match and urinating blood once he returned to his hotel room! Federer stayed in touch after saving six out of seven break chances, but it wasn't enough to give him at least a set.

They had the same number of winners, although Tsonga was the one who tamed his shots more efficiently, spraying 18 unforced errors while Roger counted to 37, too many for a more favorable result. Jo-Wilfried won 14 points more and overpowered Federer 66-57 in the shortest exchanges up to four strokes. He also had a 22-17 advantage in the mid-range rallies while nothing could separate them in those points that passed the ninth shot, with four points for each. It was important for the Frenchman to stay in touch in the early games, and he certainly did that, holding at love in game three and again at 2-2 when he blasted four winners. Federer was there to fight, firing three winners in game six for 3-3 after just 16 minutes, with nothing standing between them. Federer reached deuce on the return in game seven, denied by two booming serves from Tsonga, who moved 4-3 ahead, mounting the pressure on the other side of the net.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga prevailed over Roger Federer in Toronto 2014.

At 5-5, Roger moved 30-0 in front on the return before Jo-Wilfried brought the game home with a service winner, forcing Roger to serve for staying in the set. After 42 minutes of play, the first break of serve was on the horizon when Federer's backhand landed long, allowing Tsonga to convert a break chance after a forehand error from the Swiss to grab the opener. Three winners in game five kept Jo-Wilfried in front in set number two, reaching deuce on the return a few minutes later after a backhand error from his opponent. Federer saved a break point with an ace down the T line for a crucial hold, but Jo-Wilfried had no intentions of stopping down in his games, jumping into a 4-3 lead and hoping for more chances on the return. They came in the next one after a double fault from Roger, who defended four break points with winners and completed a marathon game with an ace to boost his odds for a comeback.

Nonetheless, Tsonga was yet to put a foot wrong behind the initial shot, firing two service winners to finish the ninth game and earning the match point a few minutes later, playing well on the return again. Federer repelled it with a well-constructed attack and held after numerous deuces and Jo-Wilfried's backhand error to level the score at 5-5. The first advantage in the tie break came in the seventh point when Roger hit a loose backhand, with three match points up for grabs for the Frenchman after two winners on his serve. Jo-Wilfried needed only the first, sealing the deal when Roger netted a backhand in the tenth point to celebrate the second Masters 1000 title.

"After the final against Roger, I felt exhausted. I remember going to the bathroom and starting to urinate blood. I got scared and called the doctor, who told me that I had broken some muscle fibers due to my extreme fatigue and tension, and my body expelled them through urine. I will never be able to forget that and all the battles I had with the Big 3. It has been an enormous pride to face them," Jo-Wilfried Tsonga said.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3iiNXf8