Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a man often likened in physiognomy and physique to Muhammad Ali, was outmuscled, overpowered and ultimately knocked out by his big-hitting rival, Tomas Berdych.
The Czech’s win sees him progress to the ATP Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semi-finals for the second successive year.
Berdych, world No 6 and seeded third here, beat Tsonga in an enthralling slugfest 6-4, 6-3 to book his place in the final four and secure a face-off with Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany.
“It was very close,” Berdych, last year’s beaten finalist, said.
“Especially the second set; it was very tight. I faced many break points two games in a row, which was very tough, but that was really the key of the game – that I managed to save them.”
Tsonga, 28, had served five aces in his first-round match against Victor Hanescu and afterwards spoke confidently of the benefits of playing on centre court opposed to some of the Aviation Club’s slower side courts.
The 2008 Australian Open finalist was handed a walk-over when Nikolay Davydenko withdrew on Wednesday through injury and was expected to try to out-serve his opponent under the floodlights.
Instead, the man who produced the 16th fastest serve in tennis history in Paris five years ago, found himself struggling against Berdych’s forceful, thundering deliveries.
Two consecutive aces in the third game – one at 207kph followed by one at 179kph – followed by a 209kph rocket that Tsonga returned, gave the sold-out crowd an early indicator that a power show was in the offing.
Tsonga’s response was to post his own 209kph-serve while dropping just a single point in his opening three service games as he went toe-to-toe with Berdych, who started the match with a 4-2 head-to-head record in his favour.
“When the game is like 0-30 or 0-40, it’s really difficult with a player like Jo to make a break,” Berdych said.
“Of course, you’re trying, but in these kinds of matches, it’s about really finding the right rhythm. He’s a big-serving guy, so it’s something just about basically getting that feel of the serve and trying to read his service spots.”
When Tsonga arrived to serve in the eighth game, Berdych had found his rhythm and the Frenchman had found his famous inconsistency: a wickedly sliced second serve that bamboozled his opponent was followed by an overhit forehand.
Tsonga then shanked a shot down the line before saving the first breakpoint of the match and following it up with an ace recorded at 210kph.
As the two men exchanged blows, it was Berdych who landed the first-set sucker-punch. Poised in the 10th game, Tsonga double-faulted for the first time this week to hand his opponent a breakpoint and Berdych finished the job to take an outright lead.
The second set saw Tsonga rally as he hit five aces and manoeuvred his way to five breakpoints, but Berdych saved each of them, the fifth coming in particular style by way of a 211kph ace.
The 2010 Wimbledon finalist won 76 per cent of the points on his first service, as Tsonga’s dissatisfaction with his own game grew larger.
Following a series of forehands into the net, he derided himself between points amid calls of “allez” from the crowd. He did not appear for his post-match media call.
Berdych, meanwhile, will meet Kohlschreiber, who he has beaten seven times from eight attempts. The German said earlier in the day he would be experimenting with his game plan in a bid to improve his chances. Berdych empathised.
“I really know that feeling a bit,” he said. “I mean, I have a similar record to Rafa and Novak, so I was sometimes thinking about it [changing his game plan]. I will not say whether it’s a good or bad idea, but let’s see.
“I’m looking forward to seeing it and, really, it doesn’t change much for me. I need to be focused on myself. I know Philipp and the most important thing for me always is how I’m going to be hitting the ball and handling the situations. That’s my main focus.”
Last night, he hit the ball with venom. If he does similar tonight, a place in the final awaits.
No player has ever reached two consecutive finals in Dubai and gone home without the trophy.
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
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