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Federer Tsonga

November 28, 2011 by · Comments Off on Federer Tsonga 

Federer Tsonga, Roger Federer wasn’t about to let Jo-Wilfried Tsonga pull off another improbable comeback. After a year that saw some uncharacteristic slip-ups from Federer in big matches, he shrugged off a second-set letdown to beat Tsonga 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 for a record sixth title in the ATP World Tour Finals.

“I know it’s one of my greatest accomplishments,” Federer said. “This definitely is an amazing finish again to the season. I’ve never finished so strong.”

Federer was by far the most impressive player during the week at the season-ending event for the top eight players in the world. His three group-stage victories included his most comprehensive win ever over Rafael Nadal, 6-3, 6-0 on Tuesday. Federer, though, looked in danger of faltering against Tsonga when he failed to serve out the match at 5-4 in the second set and then wasted a match point in the tiebreaker.

Tsonga, who became the first player to rally from a two-set deficit to beat Federer in a Grand Slam tournament in this year’s Wimbledon quarterfinals, couldn’t pull off another surprise. Federer broke for a 5-3 lead in the decider and served out the match to love, sealing his 70th career title with an easy volley.

Federer finished the season without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2002, after also wasting a two-set lead against Novak Djokovic in the U.S. Open semifinals. Federer took a six-week break shortly after that – in part, he said, to sort out his head after those losses to Tsonga and Djokovic.

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