Tsonga continues winning ways, Gulbis takes out Isner

Shanghai runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga got off to a winning start at the Erste Bank Open on Wednesday by defeating Tommy Haas 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-4. The 10th-ranked Frenchman fired 15 aces and also broke Haas a whopping five times as first-round action wrapped up.

“I don’t really think about it,” Tsonga said when asked about contending for the World Tour Finals. “To be in [London] I maybe have to win this tournament and play a final in Bercy, so for me it’s just being in the moment. I think about my tennis, about me, about trying to get the trophy here. That’s it.”

Ernests Gulbis reached the Vienna quarterfinals by upsetting John Isner 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Although it would be a modest result by Gulbis’ highest standards, a win over Isner was the Latvian’s best–based on ranking–in the last 17 months.

Stellar performances have been few and far between in 2015 for Gulbis, who has plunged to No. 117 in the world. But it’s safe to say this one was outstanding. He struck 54 winners compared to just 25 unforced errors and out-aced Isner 23-16.

Gulbis double-faults then blasts a ball that almost decapitates Isner:

Gulbis-Isner highlights:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23VKewxoPwg]

Next up for Gulbis is another huge server, Ivo Karlovic. The 6’11” Croat got the best of Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-4, 7-5 during second-round action.

Among Wednesday’s winners at the If Stockholm Open were Jack Sock, Gilles Simon, and Marcos Baghdatis. Sock outlasted Fernando Verdasco in three sets, while both Simon (d. Leonardo Mayer) and Baghdatis (d. Bernard Tomic) cruised in straights.

“I think I played very smart today,” the Cypriot assessed. “I used my slice a lot, I used my brain a lot. It was important to do that against Bernie. You need to be smart on court and not hurry too much and I think I did it very well. It paid off today so I’m very, very happy.”

Stockholm highlights:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41hNXweSs-o]

At the Kremlin Cup, Teymuraz Gabashvili ousted No. 3 seed Viktor Troicki and Denis Istomin took care of Aljaz Bedene to set up a meeting with defending champion Marin Cilic.

Briefs
* Anderson defeats Haider-Maurer, could regain top 10 spot with Vienna final
* Tsonga beats Haas, can pass Raonic for No. 9 with Vienna title
* Karlovic coasts past Stakhovsky, can remain top 20 with one more win
* Gulbis makes return to top 100 with second-round upset of Isner
* Simon rolls over Mayer, can reach No. 14 with Stockholm title
* Muller mauls Millman, will move into Aussie Open seeding spot with two more wins
* Baghdatis takes out Tomic, can reach top 40 by reaching semifinals
* Bautista Agut eases past Ilhan, can climb into top 20 with Moscow title
* Gabashvili downs Troicki, will advance to top 50 with one more victory
* Pouille gets retirement from Bolelli, almost certain to stay top 70