Jo Wilfried Tsonga played a largely composed match against the in-form Jack Sock to progress into the fourth round of the Australian Open, winning 76 75 76. Tsonga edged the first two sets, before a bad error cost him the third. The twelfth seed quickly recovered, breaking early in the fourth, and winning to earn a meeting with either Dan Evans or Bernard Tomic.
Sock had won the Auckland title the week before the tournament began, and had not dropped a set in defeating Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Karen Khachanov. Tsonga had dropped a set against Thiago Monteiro in round one, before a rather more comfortable win in the second against Dusan Lajovic.
The first set went comfortably with serve, as neither man faced break point. Tsonga came closest by forcing a deuce game at four-five, but Sock pulled through without major difficulty.
The inevitable tiebreak saw Tsonga face adversity on the first point. Sock followed an aggressive return into the net, before Tsonga played a perfect lob. Tsonga’s finishing volley then caught a section of the line, despite a challenge from Sock. It proved key as Tsonga then struck a forehand winner on his second shot of the next point, going behind Sock for the mini-break. Tsonga handed the mini-break back when he found the net with a big forehand. Tsonga retrieved the lead with a backhand cross-court passing shot. A forehand error on a net approach from Sock then handed the first set to the Frenchman.
Sock was the first to force pressure in the second set, earning a break point in the first service game. It was to be the only such opportunity that Tsonga offered, though the set was more open than the first, with Tsonga forcing his own break point chances shortly after. It would not be until the penultimate game of the set that fans on Margaret Court Arena would see the first break, as a Tsonga forehand caught Sock off-balance, and another forehand sealed the break. Tsonga gave an exhibition in serving to close out the set to love to leave the American down two sets.
Sock again tried to make headway early in the third, only to be continually denied by the 2008 runner-up. Sock faced a tough deuce game at four-all, but held, as did Tsonga through the rest of the set to force another tiebreak.
Tsonga again took the lead, racing into an early four-love lead with the American’s trademark forehand breaking down. However, Tsonga is known for inconsistencies himself, and allowed Sock back in. The American saved a match point with an ace at five-six, and earned a set point when Tsonga dumped a backhand into the net. Tsonga saved though, and a beautiful touch at the net earned him another match point again against the Sock serve, but could only miss into the tramlines.
Sock then won the set, with a great defensive shot, hoisting the ball up after a attacking Tsonga forehand. Tsonga played the smash a little deeper than the service line, but missed into the net to give the American a lifeline.
Tsonga quickly atoned for the aberrational smash however, breaking Sock immediately in the fourth when the American ripped a forehand into the net. The two parts of Sock’s game that he relied on had broken down in the serve and the forehand. Sock nearly went down a second break, but instead held. He improved his game to really challenge as Tsonga served the match out, forcing a deuce game, but it was ultimately the Frenchman who held firm to reach the fourth round.
In the other early men’s match, Andreas Seppi continued his fine form by knocking out Belgium’s Steve Darcis 46 64 76 76.
