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French underdog Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is taking heart from his last meeting with Roger Federer, and hoping for a similar result against the Swiss master to book a place in the Australian Open men’s final.
Tsonga played the world No.1 in August last year, and beat him in three sets.
It will be a far more difficult task in their grand slam semi-final on Friday night, but the Frenchman has already won his way to a Melbourne Park final two years ago.
So No.10 seed Tsonga denies a lack of big-match experience is against him against the brilliant Federer as he attempts to set up a final date with Britain’s Andy Murray.
“(Roger) won the first (grand slam) without experience, so I think at this level you never know what’s going to happen,” Tsonga said.
“I have to play my best tennis. It’s going to be tough. But I will give everything and we will see.”
The 24-year-old said he was starting the season in the best physical shape of his career.
“Maybe I’m stronger, physically stronger,” Tsonga said.
“I have time to prepare more than the other grand slams because the season is long and we have to play a lot of tournaments, to be ready for a lot of tournaments.
“I feel good. I won two tough matches. My two last match was tough, and I did it – why not against Roger?”
Murray won through to the final with a four-set win over Croatian Marin Cilic on Thursday night, lifting hopes he can become the first Briton to win a men’s grand slam title since Fred Perry in 1936.
In Friday’s women’s doubles final, Serena and Venus Williams play world No.1 Cara Black of Zimbabwe and Liezel Huber of the United States.
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