PARIS, June 5 (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray’s French Open final hopes were on a knife edge yesterday after a thunderstorm left the pair facing an uneasy night wondering who will face Swiss Stan Wawrinka in tomorrow’s showpiece contest.
A battle between the Serbian and British heavyweights had promised much, got off to bit of a false start but was then building towards a rousing finale when an approaching storm brought a halt to proceedings at Roland Garros.
The duo were sent scuttling back into the locker room with world number one Djokovic leading 6-3 6-3 5-7 3-3.
One man who will not be feeling sorry for them is eighth seed Wawrinka.
The 30-year-old will be delighted to get a whole day’s rest after he outlasted home hope Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3 6-7(1) 7-6(3) 6-4 in a gruelling three hour 46 minute tussle under blazing sunshine with the mercury hitting 33 degrees Celsius.
The suffocating heat even left the players dazed and confused midway through the fourth set, with Tsonga slumping on his seat after four games when there should have been no break or changeover.
Chants of “Tson-ga, Tson-ga, Tson-ga” failed to rouse the crowd favourite who was bidding to become the first Frenchman to reach the final since Henri Leconte in 1988.
UNRETURNABLE SERVE
Wawrinka, clearly able to deal with the intense heat better, fired an unreturnable serve to complete a remarkable turnaround in his fortunes. A year after losing in the first round, the Swiss will play for the ultimate prize in claycourt tennis.
“Today it was a tough battle. Jo is always a tough player to play, especially when he’s playing at home here in Paris,” said Wawrinka, who saved 16 of the 17 break points he faced.
“The match could have gone his way also when he had so many chances to take advantage in the third set.
“Really happy and proud of the way I stayed mentally. When I play my best, I know I can beat all the players.”
Wawrinka has already proved he can by overcoming Rafa Nadal to win the 2014 Australian Open and trumping 17-times grand slam champion Roger Federer in the quarter-finals here.
