Tsonga Finishes Off Stebe; Ferrer Marches On

Written by: Staff on 31st May 2012

Tsonga Finishes Off Stebe; Ferrer Marches On |

Paris, France

by ATP Staff | 31.05.2012

Original link: ( http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/05/22/Roland-Garros-Thursday-Tsonga-Finishes-Off-Stebe.aspx )

Fifth-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is one match win away from advancing to the Last 16 for the third time after he completed a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 win over Cedrik-Marcel Stebe of Germany on Thursday in Paris. The match resumed at 1-1 in the third set.

“Yesterday, the conditions were not the ones I like very much,” said Tsonga. “When the weather is heavy, I find it difficult to play. I can’t volley well. I can’t play winning points from the baseline, and then you start playing cat and mouse. And I’m not the cleverest at that game. Yesterday, there was a lot of noise, and I was getting a bit crazy. So I think it was a good idea the match was stopped yesterday and I could start again in far better conditions for me.”

Sixth seed David Ferrer marched into the third round, committing just 17 unforced errors in a comprehensive 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 win over Benoit Paire of France in one hour and 47 minutes.

“I played well,” said Ferrer. “I was consistent and I didn’t give him many opportunities so that he could really get into the match. He’s very aggressive with drop shots, with an exceptional touch, but the good thing is that I could break him during the first set quickly and won the match.”

The Spaniard improved to 23-4 on clay this year and will be looking to equal or better two quarter-final exits in 2005 (l. to Nadal) and 2008 (l. to Monfils). He is now three match wins shy of 450 victories (447-239).

Paire admitted, “I walked on the court against Ferrer and I knew it would be a complicated match. It’s true I’m very disappointed, very frustrated. I’m just off of the court, and I must say it’s a bit tough because I never managed to play well except for the first two games. I never managed to play my tennis. I never managed to find motivation.”

Argentina’s Juan Monaco, the No. 13 seed, who reached the Last 16 in 2007, dropped just 14 points on his serve to beat Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic 7-6(4), 6-0, 7-6(5) in two hours and 10 minutes. Monaco lost just 11 points in the 24-minute second set.

Canada’s Milos Raonic, the No. 19 seed, proved to be too strong for American qualifier Jesse Levine in a 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 victory over one hour and 56 minutes. Raonic hit 16 aces and 40 winners to improve to 24-7 on the season. The 21 year old reached the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell semi-finals (l. to Ferrer) in April.

“I’m feeling good,” said Raonic. “I’m feeling pretty confident. Still figuring out a few things. [A] few things I would have wished I had done better serving. Trying to dictate a bit more, especially in that second set. I did better in the third. I know I’m playing well. I know I’m hitting well.”

Topics: Benoit Paire, Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, David Ferrer, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Roland Garros