Tsonga bows out as Queen’s shocks continue

LONDON (AFP): Jo-Wilfried Tsonga became the latest star to suffer a shock exit from the pre-Wimbledon warm-up at Queen’s Club as the world number five was beaten 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) by Croatia’s Ivan Dodig on Thursday.

With top seed Andy Murray, fourth seed Gilles Simon and four-time Queen’s champions Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt already eliminated from the grass-court event, it seems Tsonga had a golden opportunity to go all the way.

But the Frenchman, seeded second, produced a lethargic display and world number 69 Dodig took full advantage to claim one of the best wins of his career.

Tsonga reached the final here last year, losing to Murray, and became the first player ever to beat Roger Federer from two sets down at a grand slam in the Wimbledon quarter-finals a few weeks later.

With that kind of pedigree on grass, Tsonga was the clear favourite. But Dodig, who defeated Rafael Nadal in Montreal last year, played with freedom and confidence, while Tsonga was a shadow of the vibrant force who so often over-powers opponents.