ao07roddick_tsonga

By | Published January 16, 2026 | Full size is 533 × 403 pixels

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1 Response to ao07roddick_tsonga

  1. Voo de Mar says:
    January 16, 2026 at 9:21 am
    Points won by each set: | 52-53, 40-37, 30-19, 29-22 |
    Points won directly behind the serve:
    31 % Roddick – 45 of 141
    26 % Tsonga – 38 of 141

    First match on Vodafone Arena in that ’07 edition, and the 1973 record in the longest tie-break (20/18) was equalled for the 5th time! A tie-break in the opener won by the underdog couldn’t be anticipated because Tsonga [212] was playing just his fourth main-level event, he got a ‘wild card’ thanks to a reciprocal agreement between Australian and French federations to enable promising players from these countries, whose ranking does not allow them to do so, to participate in subsequent Slams. Tsonga wasn’t intimidated at all, he held six times not being pushed to ‘deuce’ and in the record tie-break he came back from 3:5, then he quickly saved four set points at 6:7 (ace), 8:9 (unreturned), 12:13 (ace) and 14:15 (FH volley in a 5-stroke rally). At 18-all he passed Roddick [7] after an awkward volley of the American (photo), and converted his tenth set point (third on serve) with a service winner. In the 2nd set he led 5:2* after saving a first break point, but he paid the price for his lack of experience. In the first 90 minutes of play, he spent too much energy in demanding hot conditions, and began to wilt, especially in the service department. Roddick took the 2nd set not being closer than three points away from losing it (7/2 in the tie-break), and had another two sets under his control, but the 21-year-old Frenchman created his moments of hope: in the 3rd set he squandered a break point at 2-all, in the 4th set he had his last chance to break trailing 2:3. Even though Tsonga lost, it was pretty obvious that if he stayed healthy, he’d become one of the best players in the world with his versatile, uncompromising game-style (he struck 20 more winners than Roddick despite winning 20 points fewer!). Twelve months later, he’d become the Top 50 player, and the Australian Open ’08 made him a new star in men’s tennis.

    Serve & volley: Roddick 4/6, Tsonga 6/9

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