SM
Wednesday, December 25
Upcoming predictions and previews

Live Commentary: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. David Goffin - as it happened

:Headline: Live Commentary: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. David Goffin - as it happened: ID:90445: from db_amp
Live coverage of the first-round match between sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Belgium's David Goffin at Wimbledon.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga secured his place in the second round of Wimbledon with a straight-sets win over David Goffin this afternoon.

The sixth seed beat his Belgian opponent 7-6 6-4 6-3 in just under two hours.

The Frenchman will face either Edouard Roger-Vasselin or Ernests Gulbis in the next round.

Read how all the action unfolded below:

Good afternoon. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and David Goffin are due to head out to court two at Wimbledon shortly, where they will play each other for the first time in their careers.
in fact, here they come. It's a slightly small crowd around the court at the moment, with two matches already having taken place there today, but the fans will doubt doubt be heading back in as soon as they realise that the sixth seed is in action.
Tsonga comes into this tournament in arguably the best form of his career. The Frenchman reached the last four of his home Grand slam for the first time last month, before reaching the semis at Queen's. He's reached the semi-finals at SW19 for the last two years, but will have to beat last year's beaten finallist Andy Murray in the last eight if he's to repeat that this year.
By contrast, it's been a difficult couple of months for David Goffin. The young Belgian has lost his last five matches, including a first-round exit at the French Open. He's got a lot of ranking points to protect here too, having reached the third round last year. The 22-year-old's early exit at Roland Garros has seen him slip to world number 83.
If Tsonga does manage to reach the semi-finals, he could be facing Spain's Rafael Nadal. You can also follow his first-round match with Sports Mole this afternoon.
The players are just coming towards the end of their warm-up. Goffin won the pre-match coin toss, and will serve first in the opening set.
Just a quick note on the weather before the match gets underway. It's not particularly warm at the moment, but it has been dry so far on the opening day of this tournament. Let's hope it stays that way!
In fact, it's Tsonga to serve first. Here we go.
It's an easy start for the sixth seed, holding serve to love in the opening game of this match. Goffin fires his forehand out wide on the first point, before a series of non-returned serves allow the Frenchman to clinch the game.
It's an equally impressive start by the Belgian, as he takes the game to 40-0 with a series have impressive forehands from the baseline, before sealing the game with a neat volley.
Goffin starts the game well, taking the first point with a brilliant forehand return, but three straight powerful serves from Tsonga give him control of the game. A double fault by the Frenchman gives Goffin some hope, and he takes the game to deuce with a superb forehand to the sideline. Tsonga forces advantage with some solid play at the net, before taking the game with another big serve. It looks like Goffin will be able to test Tsonga during in service games.
For a player of his stature, Goffin shows impressive power behind his forehand, getting the better of Tsonga in a lengthy baseline rally. Tsonga keeps himself in the game with another good volley, however he hands the Belgian the game by hitting his return long while 40-30 down.
That was a much more straight-forward game from Tsonga. He flicks another volley into an empty court. Goffin rushes along the baseline in a bid to get the ball back, but fails the reach it in time. The sixth seed places his forehand on the sideline to take a 40-0 lead, before Goffin smashes the ball into the net.
Goffin makes a shaky start to the game, missing a couple of first serves, and firing his forehand long, but two big serves catch Tsonga out of the return, and the Belgian wraps up the game when the Frenchman slices his backhand just wide. Tsonga challenges the call, but hawk-eye reveals that the ball was a fraction wide.
Tsonga cruises to a 40-0 lead, combining fast serving with more play from the net, but he hits the ball to the net to keep Goffin in the game. However, the Belgian misses the return on the next point to allow Tsonga to hold serve.
Goffin races to a 30-0 lead with some superb play at the net, but Tsonga fights back with a couple of well-timed returns. However, the 22-year-old manages to wrong-foot Tsonga behind the baseline to seal the game. This opening set is still with serve.
Tsonga gets the first ace of the match, followed by the second and third as he quickly wraps up another comfortable service game. Aside from in the third game of this set, Goffin has shown little aggression against the Frenchman's serve.
Goffin concludes an entertaining rally with a brilliant overhead lob in the opening point of the game before getting a lucky hit on the net chord, which keeps his forehand just in play. Tsonga fires his forehand long, but manages to make amends on the next point with a stunning winner, but the Belgian manages to hold, taking the game with a delicate volley.
Tsonga shows his power on serve yet again to guarantee he gets at least a tiebreak out of this opening set. Neither player have faced a break point yet, so you wouldn't bet against a breaker at the moment.
Goffin continues to impress at the net, having watched Tsonga's success with volleys early in the set. The Belgian clinches three points with volleys to take the game to a tiebreak.
Tsonga 1-0* Goffin
Tsonga 1-1* Goffin
Tsonga *2-1 Goffin
Tsonga *2-2 Goffin
Tsonga 3-2* Goffin
Tsonga 3-3* Goffin
Tsonga *4-3 Goffin
Tsonga *5-3 Goffin
Tsonga 6-3* Goffin. Tsonga has three set points
Tsonga 6-4* Goffin
SET! Tsonga 7-6[4] Goffin
Much like the first set itself, there was very little between the two players in the tiebreak. Tsonga got the better start, forcing a couple of errors from his opponent, but Goffin fought his way back into it. In the end, it was a couple of brilliant volleys combined with a brilliant cross-court backhand from the baseline that sealed the set for Tsonga. Goffin is not down and out though, he's showed that he can match the sixth seed.
Goffin shows no signs of letting the first-set loss get to him, firing an ace past the Frenchman, before clinching the game with a forehand winner.
Tsonga continues his serve as he finished the last set, combining power from the baseline with finesse at the net, making it difficult for Goffin to get his returns in. Neither player looks like making a mistake on serve at the moment.
Goffin easily takes a 40-0 lead, but a superb forehand return from the sixth seed, followed by a shot to the net from the 22-year-old let Tsonga back in the game. However, the Frenchman mis-hits a groundstroke, allowing Goffin to hold.
Another mis-hit from Tsonga forces him to change his racquet. It doesn't look like he had actually broken a string but he obviously wasn't comfortable with the one he was using. The change does him good, as he smashes a big serve past his opponent, but the Belgian responds with the shot of the match so far, curling a forehand down the sideline, landing the ball right in the corner of the court. Goffin gets a fortunate strike off the net chord to give himself a break point against Tsonga's serve, but the Frenchman responds with an ace. Another gives Tsonga advantage, before Goffin fires a return long, giving his opponent the hold. That's a lucky escape for Tsonga!
Tsonga still doesn't look entirely comfortable with his racquet, as he wildly mis-hits the ball into the crowd, following by a shot into the net, gifting Goffin an easy hold.
Elsewhere at Wimbledon, there's more bad news for the British women. Following Elena Baltacha's defeat earlier, Johanna Konta has also been knocked out, losing 6-2 7-5 to former world number one Jelena Jankovic.
It's a much more clinical display from Tsonga this time around, racing to a 40-0 lead with a series of big serves. The sixth seed has really shown what a weapon his serve can be so far in this match. Goffin managed to get a points back with a superb winner down the line, but Tsonga wrapped it up with yet more power from the back of the court.
BREAK! Finally, there's been a break of serve! Goffin shows his pace around the court, tearing into the net to return a drop shot. He ran so fast he ended up on Tsonga's side of the court! The Frenchman continues his impressive play from the net to give himself a break point, but Goffin saves it with a well-executed backhand volley. A long forehand gives Tsonga a second chance, and he takes it with two strong shots from the net.
Goffin seems to have lost a little composure, shouting at himself as he smashes his forehand return into the net. Tsonga consolidates his break by holding serve, clinching the game with another volley. Both players have been very keen to get into the net throughout this match.
Goffin is back on form with a comfortable hold of serve, showing his impressive range of shots with a brilliantly executed forehand winner from the baseline, followed by a backhand volley from close into the net. He'll need more of the same in the next game if he's to prevent Tsonga from serving out this second set.
SET! Tsonga 7-6[4] 6-4 Goffin
Goffin fought hard in the final game as he tried to keep the second set alive, but he couldn't cope with Tsonga's serve, which has just got stronger and stronger as the match has gone on. Surely this third set is just a formality for Tsonga now.
Goffin makes a strong start, clearly up for the fight, but a series of errors allow Tsonga to get back from 40-0 down to deuce. A superb backhand return gives Tsonga and early break point, but a brave second serve from the Belgian catches his opponent out. Goffin moves superbly at the back of the court to force advantage and eventually seals the game.
Over on court one, Goffin's compatriot Steve Darcis is having better luck against fifth seed Rafael Nadal, having taken the first set with a tiebreak.
Tsonga looks in control at the start of the game, quickly taking a 40-15 lead, but a drop shot from the Belgian leaves the sixth seed sprinting into the net, almost colliding with a ball boy. The world number 83 forces the game to deuce, but the Frenchman takes advantage when Goffin hits the ball into the net. A lively exchange at the net sees the game head back to deuce, but a brilliant sliced volley gives Tsonga another chance to win the game, which he does with a big serve followed a volley.
Following Maria Sharapova's straight sets win on centre court, Andy Murray is getting ready to start his Wimbledon campaign. He'll be getting underway against Benjamin Becker shortly.
BREAK! Goffin lets a 40-0 lead slip to deuce with a series of errors including a double fault. The Belgian slices his forehand wide to give Tsonga another chance to break. He hands Tsonga the break, making another double fault. Goffin heads back to his chair looking deflated.
For the first time in the third set, it's a comfortable hold of serve. Tsonga easily take the first three points with some powerful deliveries, before taking the game with an ace.
Goffin seems determined not to hand Tsonga the match, playing some good shots from all around the court to comfortably hold serve. It's the first time in this set that he hasn't faced a break point.
Tsonga finally comes unstuck at the net, trying an ambitious slices backhand volley, but catching the ball with the frame of his racquet. He makes amends on the next point with a brilliant overhead smash. The sixth seed finishes the game with yet another fast serve, which Goffin can only return to the net.
Tsonga pushes hard, clearly keen to get a second break on the board, but Goffin shows great determination to keep himself in the set with some solid groundstrokes from the back of the court. It looks like the Frenchman is going to have to keep his impressive service display up to make sure he finishes this match in straight sets.
Goffin continues to battle, trying to get the break back. He manages to take a couple of points against the Frenchman's serve, but ultimately Tsonga has his power to fall back on, and takes the game with an ace, leaving him just one game from the second round.
Tsonga has two match points.
GAME, SET & MATCH! Tsonga 7-6[4] 6-4 6-3 Goffin
Goffin manages to save the first of the match points with a superb forehand winner down the sideline, but the Belgian tries the same shot again on the next point and slices it just wide to give the Frenchman a ticket to round two, resulting in the sixth seed breaking out his trademark celebration.
Looking at the statistics, it's easy to see how Tsonga wrapped this up in straight sets, taking 18 aces to Goffin's two, with a fastest serve of 131mph!
Tsonga will face the winner of the match currently taking place on court seven between Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Ernests Gulbis. The Latvian is currently two sets up.
Well that's all from this match, but why not stick around for live coverage from Nadal's match against Steve Darcis on court one, and Andy Murray's encounter with Benjamin Becker on centre. Thanks for joining me this afternoon, good bye.

amp_article__90445 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2013-06-24 21:43:47:
html db last update - 2013-06-24 21:43:47 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html
Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .