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Davis Cup: Tsonga sends France into final

Yannick Noah's hosts went into the day needing just one victory from the final two singles rubbers to take an unassailable 3-1 lead against an understrength Serbia, who were missing Novak Djokovic.

By Pti
Jubilant French team, from left to right, Nicolas Mahut, Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Lucas Pouille, Wilfried Tsonga and Captain Yannick Noah, after winning the Davis Cup semi final against Serbia

Lille, September 18: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga fought back from a set down against Dusan Lajovic to book France a place in the Davis Cup final with a semi-final win over Serbia in Lille on Sunday (September 17).

Yannick Noah's hosts went into the day needing just one victory from the final two singles rubbers to take an unassailable 3-1 lead against an understrength Serbia, who were missing Novak Djokovic, Janko Tipsarevic and Viktor Troicki.

Lajovic had stunned Lucas Pouille in the opening match of the last-four clash on Friday and he eased to the opening set, only for Tsonga to find his rhythm and eventually cruise to a 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 win.

Tsonga, the world number 18, was given some scary moments during the match, and had to save two vital break points with the third set locked at 4-4 before taking a tie-break.

But the former Australian Open runner-up took the fourth set by a double break as Lajovic's resistance was broken.

France are into their fourth Davis Cup final since the last time they won the trophy in 2001, and first since losing to Roger Federer's Switzerland in 2014.

They will now face Belgium, who beat Australia in the other semi-final. The final will be played between the two from November 24.

Story first published: Monday, September 18, 2017, 10:37 [IST]
Other articles published on Sep 18, 2017