Tsonga Beats Fish To Complete QF Line-Up; Next Plays Kohlschreiber

© AFP/Getty ImagesJo-Wilfried Tsonga reached the Wimbledon semi-finals last year.

Fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga completed the Wimbledon quarter-final line-up at 5:22 p.m. local time Tuesday, more than 24 hours after he had started his fourth-round clash against 10th-seeded American Mardy Fish.

Tsonga beat Fish 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4, 6-4 to set up a match against No. 27 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany on Wednesday.

When asked what he was expecting from Kohlschreiber, Tsonga said, “The best match of his life. I think he [has] never reached the semis, so of course he will play hard. I expect to have a very, very tough match. Maybe you will say I'm [the] favourite, because I [have] played against him many times. But, like me, we have nothing to lose. I just have to play my game. For me it was difficult because last year I played well. I will play more relaxed.”

Fish had led Tsonga 6-4, 1-1 when the match was suspended at 4:57 p.m. due to rain on Monday evening. Another rain suspension Tuesday saw Tsonga lead 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4, 4-2 at 3:16 p.m., when the pair scurried back to the locker room at the All England Club.

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There was one further false start at 4:37 p.m., when, with the court ready awaiting the players, a further rain shower postponed the resumption of play.

Finally, at 5:07 p.m., Fish began serving at 2-4, 30/0 in the fourth set. But Tsonga held his nerve, maintaining the break cushion and finished with his 20th ace for victory in three hours and 17 minutes. It was the Frenchman’s 60th match win at a Grand Slam championship.

“I played well enough to win,” said Fish. “I would have beaten a lot of players today. He's one of the best players in the world on this surface and one of the best players in the world, period. I was certainly satisfied with the way I competed and the way I played. He didn't play as well yesterday as he did today. I played better yesterday than I did today maybe. So who knows what happens if there's not a rain delay.” 

Fish, who decided not to compete at the London Olympics in three weeks’ time, underwent a medical procedure on 23 May to correct a problem with his heart. He is next scheduled to compete at the BB&T Atlanta Open later this month.