Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils have set up an intriguing semifinal clash in Monte-Carlo on Saturday. The winner will go up against either Andy Murray or Rafael Nadal for the title.
It will be an all-French affair when Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils battle for a place in the final of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Saturday afternoon. Tsonga is leading the head-to-head series 4-2 at the ATP level, but he has not defeated Monfils since picking up a pair of wins in 2012 and 2013. Monfils won their most recent encounter 6-4, 7-6(4), last spring in Miami.
Their only previous clay-court tilt came on the Futures circuit back in 2003, when Tsonga got the job done 6-2, 6-3.
Fast forward 13 years and both veterans are still going strong as they head into a clay-court showdown with much higher stakes this time around. Monfils is still in search of his first Masters 1000 title and he has put himself within two victories of such an accomplishment by capitalizing on a draw that turned suddenly from taxing to favorable. A once-loaded top quarter of the bracket saw David Ferrer withdraw due to injury before Novak Djokovic lost his opening match against Jiri Vesely. Monfils has not dropped a set while taking out Gilles Muller, Paolo Lorenzi, Vesely, and lucky loser Marcel Granollers. The world No. 16 is a stellar 19-5 for the year and has to be especially confident on the heels of quarterfinal performances in both Indian Wells and Miami.
Tsonga did not fare as well in Miami, where he fell to Roberto Bautista Agut in the third round, and he had been a modest 11-6 for his 2016 campaign prior to this week. The eighth seed appears to be turning it all around in Monte-Carlo with straight-set defeats of Pablo Carreno Busta and Lucas Pouille prior to a 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory over Roger Federer on Friday.
Although it is never wise to cast judgments on Monfils’ physical well-being (or lack thereof), he did not look 100 percent during his second set against Granollers. Additionally, Tsonga may be especially motivated to advance even further in Monte-Carlo given his relative struggles in 2016 (he is currently 14th in the race to London, while Monfils is fifth). Fresh off a huge win over Federer, Tsonga is likely to maintain momentum by being the aggressor in what should be an engrossing contest.
Pick: Tsonga in 3
[polldaddy poll=9387154]
who ya got?
new monfils is dangerous, i think he is too consistent to be beaten by Jo , don’t you think?
MONFILS in 3
not if Tsonga plays well. the match is on Tsonga’s racket.
I hope that this match lives up to expectations. My only concern with Monfils is that he seemed to be physically spent in the second set of his match with Granollers.
Normally I think their matches could go either way. But I think Tsonga is looking really strong after his win over Fed.
I like both guys, so I am looking forward to a great match.
I will go with Tsonga in 3 sets.
Joey T in two.
Joy in 2 – entertaining of course – sets.
Jo?
Gael in 3
Jo in three.
Monfils is the slight favorite. However, Tsonga can hit through Monfils, and I think he will. He can hit through Djokovic and Federer too. The H2H is 5-2 for Tsonga. However, this is their first meeting on clay. Worth noting is Almagro, who has a similar brutish style, is 3-0 against Monfils on clay.
agreed
I give Tsonga slight advantage not for his playing style as he sure is not the favorite on clay but for his confidence…I expect some upbeat tennis from Tsonga after being able to send Fed packing…I did not see any of them playing so I am just guessing Tsonga in 2…
Tsonga wins in 2 sets.
As you said, Tsonga has the Mo…..will win in straight.
Contradicting your own pick lol.
Monfils gets the 1st set 6-1!
I’ve seen Tsonga play badly but never this badly. What the hell has got into him?
Is this the same La Monf who was dead on his feet against Granollers yesterday?
Tsonga just had wayyyyyy too many unforced to errors. 34 Unforced Errors vs 17 and 47% First Serve. Abysmal performance for Tsonga. He handed Monfils the victory
Read the interesting tweets inthe Guardian about the Nadal/Murray match.
^^^Linkhttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2016/apr/16/andy-murray-v-rafael-nadal-monte-carlo-masters-semi-final-live
nadline10 (AT 3:47 PM),
Thanks for posting this!
Who was the last player (other than Nole) to win his next match after beating Fed.
Should have known.
The very same. lol.
I’ve said this before – one has to wonder how his career would have panned out if he had used his tennis talent to the full from the outset.
I was hoping he would be in the final rather than J-WT. I’ve never liked his style of game and am irritated to death by his constant air of grievance when things don’t go his way.
Yeah that’s probably right ed. Good memory. Doesn’t happen very often.
Rafa 11-2 overall and 4-0 on clay vs Lamonf who has never taken more than three games from Rafa in a set on clay. Whereas Tsonga has taken three of the last six meetings vs Rafa (never on clay).
Lamont playing very well but this is on Rafa’s racquet. He’ll win if he brings the same level he brought against Wawa and Muzza.
First Masters final for Monfils in six years. Hopefully, he will show nerves. Hasn’t lost a set yet.
Testing my avatar (which is suddenly AWOL).
Gosh, without your avatar, you seem so bland and bleak.
You improved this avatar — nice. I can see more of Rafa. Even with the little dingle balls chopped off the crown, it would still look good, I think.