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1/28/09 3:27 PM | Cheryl Murray
Fernando Verdasco chalked up another upset with a big win over French hard-hitter Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. He will be joined in the semifinals by fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
Until this point in his career, Fernando Verdsasco has not been characterized as a mentally tough player. The Spaniard has, in fact, often lacked confidence in his own game. All of that seemed to change for him in the Davis Cup final. Verdasco won a clutch five-setter against Argentina’s Jose Acasuso and another clutch doubles performance against Agustin Calleri and David Nalbandian. In short, he was the Davis Cup hero for Spain. That experience has helped form a new, improved Verdasco.
The improved version is now capable of staving off three break points in one game, as Verdasco did in the first set. Despite the chances that Tsonga had in the opening set, there were no breaks of serve as the two men slugged it out from the baseline to push a first set tiebreaker. The Spaniard played with abandon in the breaker, and he jumped out to a 5-1 lead. For his part, Tsonga was tentative and he permitted Verdasco to dictate play; as a result the Frenchman lost 7-2.
Verdasco played a shaky game on his first service game in the second set, but once again was able to save break points for the hold. Tsonga got another chance for the break at 2-3; but this time, the Spaniard donated the point with a wild volley miss that landed several feet outside the doubles alley. The single break of serve was enough to wrap up the set for the Frenchman.
Tsonga could not keep up the winning pace in the rest of the match. Verdasco raced out to a 4-0 lead in the third set. The 2008 Australian Open runner-up got one of the breaks back, but it was not enough; Verdasco took the third set easily.
Tsonga looked defeated in the fourth. Verdasco kept him pinned well behind the baseline and he was reduced to simply reacting to the Spaniard rather than trying to dictate play in any way. Verdasco won the fourth set and the match with a two break advantage and will now compete in his first-ever Grand Slam semifinal.
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Good job Fernando! He is playing his best tennis now since the Davis Cup!
nadal07 , 1/29/09 4:03 AM