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Stan Wawrinka has defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four sets to make his first ever French Open final.
WAWRINKA 6 6 7 6
TSONGA 3 7 6 4
In a contest that went for over three and a half hours, Wawrinka was able to get on top in the final two sets, to make his 2nd Grand Slam final.
It was contest with nothing separating the two.
For two sets, both didn’t concede serve, and only 4 breaks of serve happened in the match.
Wawrinka would get the first, in the opening set, to take it six games to three.
The Swiss number two then broke in the early stages of the second set, and looked to run away with the match.
Tsonga though fought back with the help of the crowd.
A break in the 8th game of the set would level it up before they headed to a tiebreaker for the first time in the match.
Tsonga, buoyed on by the home crowd, raced to a 6-0 lead and took the tiebreaker 7 points to 1.
He would then get chances to break in the third set but fail to capitalise on them.
6 chances to break went his way but Wawrinka, through good serving and big shots from his backhand, saved them all.
The set would then head to another tiebreaker and the world number 9 would make Tsonga pay.
He took the tiebreaker 7 points to 3.
After gaining an early break in the fourth set, Wawrinka would again save multiple break points on his serve, to hold on and win the match.
He would save 12 break points in the last two sets while winning one break of serve with the one chance he had.
That was the difference at the end of the day.
Wawrinka took his chances and served well despite not getting many 1st serves in.
He will now play in the final on Sunday looking for his 2nd Grand Slam title.
Can Jo-Wilfried Tsonga become the first French male since Henri Leconte in 1988 to make the French Open final in Paris?
Find out as we present live scores and commentary of his semi-final match against Stan Wawrinka from 9pm AEST.
Tsonga has been a revelation to the tournament as he has taken the home crowd on a journey to the semi-final. A five-set win over Kei Nishikori, in the quarter final on Tuesday, booked him his second ever semi-final at Roland Garros.
His first, in 2013, resulted in a three set loss to David Ferrer after beating Roger Federer in the quarter finals.
Today he will face Stan Wawrinka for a chance to break France’s 27-year drought of not having a home grown male player making the final.
In that year Henri Laconte lost to Mats Wilander in straight sets. It has been a pretty poor drought for French men with the last winner coming in 1983 when Yannick Noah defeated Wilander in three sets.
Tsonga is one of only three Frenchman to make a semi-final in the last 15 years. Gael Monfils (2008) and Sebastien Grosjean (2001) are the only other two.
A win for Tsonga tonight would be as significant to the French as it was to Australia when Lleyton Hewitt made the Australian Open final in 2005.
Looking to stop him, and make his second Grand Slam final, is Stan Wawrinka. Wawrinka, in his quarter final, smashed his great friend, Roger Federer, in straight sets to make his first semi-final here.
The 6-4 6-3 7-6 win was his first at a Grand Slam over his countryman, and the first time he had won against Federer away from Monte Carlo. It was a powerful message to send to the rest of the field.
These two have a history at the French Open with two classic matches in 2011 and 2012.
In 2011 Wawrinka won their round of 32 clash in five sets before Tsonga returned the favour in 2012 with a five set win in the round of 16. They have faced each other six times for three wins a piece.
In each of those matches, both players have won a set. Nothing has separated these two players when they have faced each other.
This promises to be a match dominated by the power from both players.
Wawrinka, with his strong backhand, against the movement and power from both ends from Tsonga.
Whoever gets on top will be able to control the match and win the contest. If they can’t, and hit plenty of unforced errors, then their opponent will have the advantage.
It will be interesting to see how Wawrinka handles the crowd. They will be against him today and will want Tsonga to win. Can he quiet them down, and eliminate them from the contest to win?
That will be interesting to see if he can do it.
Wawrinka is a big favourite with the bookies but this is a 50/50 contest. Tsonga has shown form in this event and can defeat anyone when he is playing well.
He also lifts in front of his home crowd. So much so that he wrote ‘I love Roland’ after his five set win over Nishikori.
I predict he will continue that form tonight and make the final. France needs a story and they might get it over the next few hours.
PREDICTION – Tsonga 3-2
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