Metz (AFP)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (61st worldwide) won the 18th title of his career by winning the ATP tournament in Metz against Slovenian Aljaz Bedene (76th) in three rounds 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4), 6-3, Sunday at the Arena of Metz.

The 34-year-old Manceau, who was playing his 30th final on the circuit, managed to pass four at the Moselle Open after his successes in 2011, 2012 and 2015.

Thanks to its beautiful Moselle week, punctuated by successes on Pablo Andujar (52), Pierre-Hugues Herbert (55), Nikoloz Basilashvili (17th) and Bedene, Tsonga continues its rise in the ATP rankings.

After a white 2018 season due to injuries, "JWT" ​​was ranked above 200th place in the world in early February before winning in Montpellier. Le Manceau, who had rejoined the Top 100 in early May, will return Monday among the top 50 players in the world.

Despite his power in the service (19 aces), the French was pushed into his trenches by an opponent who was very solid on his faceoff in the first two sets.

After conceding the first run, Tsonga seemed even short of solutions in the second, before pulling the tie-break the right to play a third set, he won without shaking to win after 2h47 game.

- "a nice show" -

"It was a great final, the audience, which was wonderful, saw a nice show, I'm very happy, I really had a great week," said Le Manceau when he received his trophy.

The beginning of the meeting was very balanced. "JWT" ​​was really intractable on his face-off (8 aces, three shutouts), while Bedene was sometimes in trouble. Thus, the French got the only break point of the heat at 1-0, but without being able to convert it.

The chase lasted until the tie-break, where the Frenchman lowered his foot in the service. Bedene took the opportunity to come off (4-0). Despite the return of the Habs (4-4), he won the decisive game (7-5) and won the first leg (7-6).

In full confidence, the Slovenian continued its momentum in the second set, preventing Tsonga to have the slightest opportunity to breaker. The Manceau even had to save a break point from a 4-3 Ace.

During the tie-break, the scenario of the first round was repeated: the player who dominated the round was surprised. Tsonga quickly took the lead (3-1), but Bedene came back (3-3), before the French managed to break away to win (7-4) and return to a set everywhere.

The Manceau started the third round in cannonball by winning the first 14 points to come off quickly at 3-0 after having managed the only break of the game.

The Slovenian, who saves two 4-0 balls, eventually reacted, but too late to prevent Tsonga from igniting the Metz Arena by winning 6-3, after a fight of almost three hours.

© 2019 AFP