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Tsonga sets De Minaur clash, Chardy into SF

3 January 2019, by brisbaneinternational.com.au

    A decade after reaching the inaugural Brisbane International quarter-finals, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is back, setting a last-eight showdown with Aussie No.1 Alex De Minaur on Thursday.

    The former world No.5 – looking to get his career back on track after a tough year of injuries – advanced 7-6(5) 6-3 over Japanese lucky loser Taro Daniel on Pat Rafter Arena.

    It marked the first time the Frenchman had won back-to-back matches since February and booked a blockbuster quarter-final meeting with the 19-year-old De Minaur, a player 14 years his junior.


    “I have very good memories here, especially in doubles,” the 2009 Brisbane doubles champion said. “It’s an honour to play in front of this crowd. I’m very happy to win a second match here and I hope it’s going to continue.

    “Last year I didn’t play that much … it was a tough season. I had a few weeks to prepare for this season. I’m happy to be back on court and do my passion.”

    Tsonga started nervously, dropping his opening service game, and the pair went on to trade a further three breaks before the Frenchman held set point against his opponent’s serve at 5-4 and again at 6-5.

    Daniel, though, coming off a season in which he landed his first career title in Istanbul and beat Novak Djokovic in Indian Wells, stood firm to force the tie-break.

    The Japanese world No.77 saved two more set points before Tsonga sealed the opener on his sixth ace.

    And with a break of serve to seal the result, there was no wiping the elation from the Frenchman’s face.

    “I’m going to give my best as always … there his a new generation coming, it’s normal,” Tsonga said of facing De Minaur next.

    “He’s a very good player. I like the mentality he’s got. He’s a fighter. He’s into every point. I will just try and do my job and play my game. It’s going to be nice for the crowd to see how it goes.”


    Tsonga’s compatriot Jeremy Chardy backed up his upset of defending champion Nick Kyrgios to become the first player through to the semi-finals.

    The world No.40 ended Yasutaka Uchiyama’s hopes of becoming the first qualifier in the tournament’s history to reach the men’s semi-finals with a 6-4 3-6 7-6(4) victory.

    He awaits the winner of Thursday night’s clash between Grigor Dimitrov and Kei Nishikori.

    The 180th-ranked Uchiyama scored the biggest win of his career over No.3 seed Kyle Edmund in the second round and was on the cusp of another big win when he held match point against the French journeyman’s serve at 6-5 in the deciding set.

    But Chardy’s experience proved the steadier at the crunch as he booked his second Brisbane semi-final in five years, having fallen to Roger Federer in 2014.