Tsonga defeats Almagro to reach Barcelona Open Quarterfinals

Jo Wilfried TSonga fought back to reach the quarterfinals of Barcelona Open by defeating Spaniard Nicolas Almagro with a 5-7,6-1, 6-4 win on Thursday( 22nd April,2010). France third seed Tsonga who is playing the clay event for first time will now battle in a Friday surprise showdown against Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker, who upset 2001 winner and Juan Carlos Ferrero7-6(7/2), 3-6, 7-6(7/4)

The 15th seeded Almagro has been beaten by Tsonga in all of their meetings gaining victories at the Australian Open which went to 9-7 in the fifth set and a week ago in straight sets at Monte Carlo.

The Frenchman who now stands on 17-7 for the season and looking for his first ever clay title said that it will be difficult to play Bakker recounting his experience of playing against him in Davis Cup on indoor clay. The 21 year old Bakker is ranked 67th in the world.

Almagro, one of the eight Spanish players who began the third round in the Catalan Capital beat Tsonga on a late break of serve in the opening set. However, Tsonga imposed his big game for 5-0 on the second on the way back to level- pegging at a set apiece. Tsonga went up for an early break in the third set to register the win, firing eight aces and breaking four times.

David Ferrer, once a top ten player , now ranked 17th confirmed his berth in the last eight spots in 44 minutes when Simone Bolleli of Italy quit the match trailing 6-0,3-0. Ferrer who has been the losing finalist o absent Rafael Nadal in the las two editions will play against Brazilian thirteenth seed Thomas Bellucci, a winner over Spain’s Guillermo Garcia Lopez 6-4, 6-4. Ferrer is appearing in Barcelona’s quarterfinals for the fourth time in a row.