frenchman

This tag is associated with 3 posts

Jo Wilfried Tsonga makes Roger Federer look ungainly in thrilling comeback

Posted by LINUS FERNANDES ⋅ June 30, 2011

Let’s ask the question: Did Roger Federer lose or did Jo-Wilfried Tsonga win?

It was, perhaps, a bit of both.

For the first two sets, it seemed as though it was to be yet another cakewalk for the Swiss. The motions were smooth; the serve was chugging along like a Rolls Royce. The Frenchman was sleepwalking his way out of the tournament.

Then suddenly, something changed. It was, as though, the Ali-lookalike realised that this was his best chance—his only one. He had nothing to lose, so why not go at it full-tilt like the gladiator he is?

The first break of Roger’s sublime service fuelled this belief. That, maybe, there was something to be gainsaid from it all.

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Soderling hangs tough to oust Llodra,Federer capitulates to Monfils

Posted by LINUS FERNANDES ⋅ November 14, 2010

It will be Robin Soderling versus Gael Monfils this Sunday at the Paris Masters but not before both protagonists overcame hiccups en route to the final.

The first semi featured Michael Llodra—on a hot streak—against Swede Soderling.

The initial set went with serve 6-6. And it was Llodra—playing with the foot pressed to the accelerator—who romped home 7-0 in the tie-break.

That served as a wake-up call to Soderling who started to find his feet in the second, hitting his returns nice and deep. But it was all bazookas and Llodra’s brilliance until 5-5.

Soderling broke Llodra to go up 6-5 and then served out the set to make it 1-1.

Scintillating tennis continued with Llodra negating an early break to come roaring back into the match in the third set.

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