Black Tennis Pros

MARSEILLE, France (AFP) — Frenchman Julien Benneteau will seek to win the first tournament of his career on Sunday after beating second seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semi-finals of the Open 13 tournament here.

Eighth-seeded Benneteau beat his compatriot Tsonga 7-6 (13/11), 5-7, 7-6 (7/3) in a fiercely contested 2hr 57min match on Saturday.

He will now face compatriot Michael Llodra, who prevailed 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) over German Mischa Zverev.

Benneteau, who defeated world number one Roger Federer at the Paris Masters in November, will contest the fourth final of his career at the age of 28.

Defending champion Tsonga broke first in the opening set but Benneteau fought back to take it to a tie-break that he eventually won after a titanic tussle.

Tsonga levelled things up by winning the second set, battling back from 5-3 down to cancel out Benneteau's advantage, but the world number 39 refused to be cowed and sewed up victory in a tense deciding tie-break.

"Julien has really improved," said Tsonga, the world number nine.

"He makes fewer errors with his forehand. He deserves a first victory."

"It was a great match, an intense battle," enthused Benneteau. "I was afraid because I was leading 5-3 in the second set and I couldn't see it out.

"But I'm proud to have held on until the end. I'm not going to put crazy pressure on myself to win my first tournament though.

"I have to build on what I did here, where've I've gone after matches against players ranked higher than me."

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MARSEILLE, France (AFP) — Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the French fourth seed, won the 576,000 euros ATP tournament on Sunday, defeating compatriot Michael Llodra 7-5, 7-6 (7/3) for his fourth career title which he dedicated to his sick father.

World number 12 Tsonga added the win a fortnight after his success in the South African Open, living up to his pre-match status as favourite on the heels of his fine win over top-seeded world number three Serb Novak Djokovic in the semis.

He finished Llodra off with his 11th ace before explaining his thoughts were with his father, former handballer Didier, who had surgery during the week.

"I almost didn't come here. I couldn't tell you that my father was operated on this week. Today, I dedicate this win to him," said Tsonga.

Alluding back to his fourth straight win over Djokovic, he added: "With this tournament I showed I was capable of beating one of the world's top players once again and that I was ready to make the step up to join the big guys."

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After winning the South African Open title earlier this month, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is right back into another final at the Open 13 Tournament in Maseille, France.

Tsonga put his big game on display once again in today's semifinal and barreled over Serbian Novak Djokovic for the fourth time. The Frenchman took the first set in just under a half hour! The win came in at 6-4, 7-6(1)

“I told myself I had to go for it,” Tsonga said in a courtside interview.

"It’s amazing, I played unbelievably. Novak did a very good job today so it was tough to beat him. For me, it was my best match since the start of the year and I’m really happy about that. I hope tomorrow I will win and take the trophy."

“I have played an extraordinary match. I have been heroic on every important point. I am proud of having played such a match.”

Tsonga will meet fellow Frenchman Michael Llodra in the final on Sunday.

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Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga took it to Spaniard Feliciano Lopez defeating him 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 at the Marseille Open on Friday.

In doing so, Tsonga set up what is sure to be another fabulous match to watch against Serbian Novak Djokovic. Tsonga and Djokovic met four times last year with Tsonga winning three of those matches.

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American James Blake slugged it out with Australian Lleyton Hewitt at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis, Tennessee on Wednesday. After more than two hours, Blake was defeated 6-3, 1-6, 4-6.

‘‘I didn’t take advantage of my chances and he did. In the first set, he didn’t come up with his best on break points. From then on he did. And from then on I didn’t.’’



Frenchman Gael Monfils became the first major upset of the Open 13 in Marseilles, France. Fellow Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu defeated Monfils 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

"It was a rotten game, I didn't play," said Monfils.



At the Barclay's Dubai Tennis Championships American Venus Williams defeated Frenchwoman Alize Cornet 6-3, 6-2.

"I made more errors than yesterday," Williams said. "I rushed a little bit in the first set and then realized it in the second and started pulling back a little bit on my shots."



At the same tournament as sister Venus, American Serena Williams defeated China's Jie Zheng for the third straight time 6-4, 6-2.

"I think the intensity was high today, but my first serve could have been better," Williams said. "I had to rely a lot on my second serve. I definitely could do better technically."



Also at the Open 13, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Kazakh Andrey Golubev 7-6 6-2.

"Last year, I lost in the first round to Mario Ancic. This time I'm still alive but I think Golubev lost all by himself because he served for the first set at 6-5 and failed to win important points."

Photos by AP/Getty Images

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SINGLES

Round 1

Venus Williams, USA vs. BYE

Serena Williams, USA vs. BYE


Round 2

Venus Williams, USA defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
6-0, 6-1

Serena Williams, USA defeated Sara Errani, ITA
4-6, 6-2, 6-0


Quarterfinal Round

Venus Williams defeated Alize Cornet, FRA
6-3, 6-2

Serena Williams defeated Jie Zheng, CHN
6-4, 6-2


Semifinal Round

Venus Williams, USA defeated Serena Williams, USA
6-1, 2-6, 7-6(3)


DOUBLES

Round 1

Raquel Kops-Jones, USA and Vladimira Uhlirova, CZE
defeated
Daniela Hantuchova, SVK and Ai Sugiyama, JPN
Walk Over

Round 2

Raquel Kops-Jones, USA and Vladimira Uhlirova, CZE
defeated by
Akgul Amanmuradova, UZB and Chia-Jung Chuang, TPE
4-6, 4-6


Eliminated during singles qualifying rounds:

Raquel Kops-Jones, USA


SINGLES

Round 1

Stephanie Foretz, FRA defeated Melinda Czink, HUN
6-2, 4-6, 6-2

Alexandra Stevenson, USA defeated by Vania King, USA
2-6, 6-7(5)

Round 2

Stephanie Foretz defeated by Sabine Lisicki, GER
2-6, 4-6


DOUBLES

Round 1

Angela Haynes, USA and Christina Fusano, USA
defeated by
Vania King, USA and Alla Kudryavtseva, RUS
6-7(2), 2-6

Mashona Washington, USA and Jill Craybas, USA
defeated
Chanelle Scheepers, RSA and Abigail Spears, USA
7-6(3), 6-0

Shenay Perry, USA and Alexa Glatch, USA
defeated
Julie Ditty, USA and Carly Gullickson, USA
6-2, 7-5


Quarterfinal Round

Mashona Washington, USA and Jill Craybas, USA
defeated by
Yuliana Fedak, UKR and Michaella Krajicek, NED
7(5)-6, 4-6 [4-10]


Eliminated during singles qualifying rounds:

Angela Haynes, USA


SINGLES

Round 1

James Blake, USA defeated by Lleyton Hewitt, AUS
6-3, 1-6, 4-6

Donald Young, USA defeated by Christophe Rochus, BEL
4-6, 3-6


DOUBLES

Round 1

James Blake, USA and Bobby Reynolds, USA
defeated
Eric Butorac, USA and Bruno Soares, BRA
7-5, 3-6 [11-9]


SINGLES

Round 1

Jo Wilfried Tsonga, FRA defeated Andrey Golubev, KAZ
7(5)-6, 6-2

Gael Monfils, FRA defeated by Paul-Henri Mathieu, FRA
6-4, 4-6, 5-7


Round 2

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA defeated Simone Bolelli, ITA
6-3, 6-2


Quarterfinal Round

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA defeated Feliciano Lopez, ESP
6-2, 6-7(1), 6-4


SINGLES

Round 1

Asia Muhammad, USA defeated by Georgie Stoop, GBR
3-6, 0-6

Asha Rolle, USA defeated by Kai-Chen Chang, TPE
5-7, 0-6


DOUBLES

Round 1

Ahsha Rolle and Yanina Wickmayer, BEL
defeated
Maria-Fernanda Alves, BRA and Yi Chen, TPE
6-4, 3-6 [13-11]


Quarterfinal Round

Ahsha Rolle, USA and Yanina Wickmayer, BEL
defeated
Heidi El Tabakh, CAN and Michelle Gerards, NED
7-5, 7-6(3)


Semifinal Round

Ahsha Rolle, USA and Yanina Wickmayer, BEL
defeated
Mailen Auroux, ARG and Vernonica Spiegel, ARG
6-2, 6-1


Eliminated during singles qualifying rounds:

Sloane Stephens, USA
Jennifer Elie, USA


SINGLES

Round 1

Todd Paul, USA defeated by Philip Bester, CAN
1-6, 1-6

Nicholas Monroe, USA defeated Nikita Kryvonos, USA
6-2, 7-6(3)


Quarterfinal Round

Nicholas Monroe, USA defeated Andrey Kumantsov, RUS
6-2, 6-2


DOUBLES

Round 1

Nicholas Monroe, USA and Michal Ryderstedet, SWE
defeated by
Uladzimir Ignatik, BLR and Nikita Kryvonos, USA
2-6, 6-7(3)

Paul Todd, USA and Treat Conrad Huey, PHI
defeated by
Jesse Witten, USA and Tigran Martirosyan, ARM
4-6, 5-7

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