The tie-break in the third set saw some Tsonga magic as he raced around the ball to drive a winning forehand across the court. This was followed by another racing backhand to gain a mini-break.
The fourth set also went to a tie-break. Tsonga clearly moved up a gear as he scented victory, hitting a Spitfire-fast “full toss” forehand return and following it up with a nifty net approach to volley a cross-court winner.
This was one of the longest matches on court today at three hours, 21 minutes, and it was a relieved Tsonga who broke into a beaming grin, skipped across the court and thanked the crowd after he secured victory.
An even longer match occurred on court 18 as Feliciano Lopez became the second seed to go out of the men’s tournament, following James Blake’s earlier exit to Andreas Seppi. The Spanish No.21 seed was beaten in a marathon five- setter 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 10-8 by Karol Beck of Slovakia in three hours, 45 minutes.
Rainer Schuettler is no stranger to long matches at the All England Club either since he overcame Arnaud Clement in more than five hours last year. His victory today, in four sets, 6-7 (9-11), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1, over Xavier Malisse was slightly more comfortable, taking just two hours 57 minutes.
In the ladies’, Jie Zheng is safely through to the second round. Zheng, from Chengdu in China, stunned Ana Ivanovic in the third round last year before bowing out in the semi-finals. Another run could be on the cards after the 16th seed disposed of Germany’s Kristina Barrois in twin tie-breaks, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-4). Zheng faces Daniela Hantuchova, conqueror of junior champion Laura Robson in the second round.
Russian Alla Kudryavtseva stunned the tennis world when she knocked out her compatriot Maria Sharapova last year in the third round. But she was unable to repeat the feat against countrywoman Elena Dementieva this time. No.4 seed Dementieva barely had to break sweat as she won 6-4, 6-1.
Russian Nadia Petrova, a quarter-finalist here last year, comfortably saw off the challenge of Anastasiya Yakimova 6-1, 6-1. India's Sania Mirza moved into the second round after beating Germany’s Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.
Victoria Azarenka has won three titles already this year, and she benefited from an injury to her opponent Severine Bremond Beltrame who retired hurt. Azarenka had already taken the first set 6-2 when the Frenchwoman Bremond Beltrame was forced to retire after spraining her knee in a fall.
Another tight game followed on Court 3 saw the first female seed to depart. Francesca Schiavone of Italy came back from a set down to knock out Canadian No.23 seed Aleksandra Wozniak 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
For a few brief moments this month – admittedly a little long than quarter of an hour – Robin Soderling was a star. The Swede was the first man to beat Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros and, from that fourth-round victory, he went all the way to the final. And then he lost. In straight sets. Played a chap called Federer who proved to be rather too good for him. His 15 minutes was over.
Now he has another shot at the fame game in SW19 after beating Gilles Muller in the first round 6-7 (7-4), 7-5, 6-1, 6-2. The 13th seed almost missed his chance, mind you, dropping the first set, but after he got his nose in front in the second, it was plain sailing.
Until this year, Soderling’s greatest claim to celebrity and notoriety was making the normally equable Nadal angry at the All England Club two years ago. As the rain sent both men back and forth between locker room and court, their match dragged on for days and everyone’s temper was beginning to fray. So when the Swede starting mimicking Nadal’s little tics and mannerisms, the Spaniard took umbrage. He also took the win in five sets but afterwards had a grumble about Mr Soderling’s manners.
“In the locker room, for the other players, [he] is not the best guy in the locker room,” Nadal said.
But those ill-mannered days appear to be behind Soderling now. He is being coached by compatriot Magnus Norman, the former French Open finalist and world No.2. Norman, one of nature’s quiet souls, appears to have brought the best from his charge.
Soderling admits happily that he used to have a foul temper. Playing games with his parents as a boy, he would fling the board and all the pieces to the floor if he was losing at anything from Monopoly to tiddly winks. These days, and thanks to Norman’s guidance, he keeps the anger under control and is able to channel it in order to bring the best out of his game.
Against Muller, the rasping forehand and cracking serve that had taken him so far in Paris were still very much in evidence. The only slight problem was that Muller had an equally ferocious serve and a nice line in returns, too. For almost two sets, there was barely a whisker between them but then Soderling edged ahead, took the second set and motored to the finish.
Still, he had better make the most of his moment in the sun – Soderling is in the same section of the draw as Roger Federer and could meet him in the fourth round if both men keep winning. To beat one Grand Slam champion in the fourth round of a major tournament is impressive. To beat two Grand Slam champions in the fourth rounds of consecutive major tournaments may be asking a bit too much.
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