Halle Westfalen (Germany) (AFP)
Roger Federer had to work on Thursday to eliminate in three sets a Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of the big days in the eighth finals of the grass tournament of Halle, and will face in quarter-final the Spanish Bautista Agut.
The world number three, at the age of 37, battled for 2 hours and 16 minutes to finally win 7-6, 4-6, 7-5, after a sumptuous game that will remain in the annals of the German tournament. , where the Swiss champion aims for a tenth victory.
"Jo-Wilfried has shown in the past that he can beat me, on hard surfaces or on grass, he is always dangerous," Federer said before the match.
He was right, and Tsonga matched him. From the outset, the 34-year-old Frenchman, back on the courts this year after a 2018 season virtually without playing, was untouchable on his service, winning 11 of his first twelve points of commitment in the first set. Opposite, Federer set up a little more slowly his stolen service.
The Manceau had arrived on the court in the ideal state of mind for this duel: "These are matches where there is nothing to lose, there is everything to gain", he had said the day before. 'AFP, "When we play against Roger we feel less pressure."
But the Swiss would not be the man with 20 victories in Grand Slam if he did not have the talent to force the right destiny in the decisive moments. Winner of the tie-break of the first round, he also raised the tone in the 11th game of the third. At 5-5 Tsonga serving, he managed the break that rocked the game.
And despite an ultimate resistance from the French, Federer concluded, under the cheers of the public who supported him throughout the match.
Friday, he has an appointment with Bautista Agut, who easily defeated another French, Richard Gasquet (6-1, 6-4). The Spaniard has never beaten Federer in eight comparisons.
The other match at the top of the table will pit the latest French still in the running, Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Croatian Borna Coric, defending title.
In the other half of the draw, the star match will feature Alexander Zverev and Belgian David Goffin.
? 2019 AFP