Jo-Wilfried Tsonga remains in the hunt for a place in the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals after the French sixth seed defeated America’s Mardy Fish 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 on Tuesday. Tsonga, who lost his opening Group B match against Roger Federer, still has to beat Rafael Nadal in his final fixture on Thursday to have a chance of advancing, while Fish faces an early exit from the season finale at London’s O2 Arena. The result also means defending champion Federer will be guaranteed a semi-final spot if he defeats Nadal in tonight’s match. With both players beaten in their opening games, this encounter was a battle for tournament survival as the loser would be eliminated.
Tsonga started in aggressive mood, earning three break points before finally breaking at the fourth attempt with a brilliant winner on the run. The 26-year-old had out-lasted Fish to claim a five-set victory in their only previous meeting, in the US Open fourth round earlier this year, and this was another rollercoaster clash. Fish broke straight back in the next game, only for the American eighth seed to surrender his own serve again to give Tsonga a 2-1 lead. Tsonga became the first player to hold serve in the next game, but the often-erratic Frenchman crumbled when he served for the set.
