Home » Flashback to Canada: Roger Federer blows a 5-1 lead against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

The 2009 season did not get off to the best start for Roger Federer. The Swiss failed to win the championship before May after losing to Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, and Novak Djokovic in the finals of five competitions. His fortune changed in Madrid, when he defeated Rafael Nadal in the championship match before winning the “Channel Slam” and making history.

With a 19-match winning streak into Montreal, Roger beat Stan Wawrinka and Frederic Niemeyer to go to the quarterfinals, where he faced Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The Frenchman shocked the world no. even though it was only their second meeting (they would play more frequently in the years to come).

In two hours and 19 minutes, 1-7-6, 1-6, 7-7. In the decisive set, Jo-Wilfried fell behind 5-1 before mounting a comeback and winning the tie break. After dropping the first set, Federer gathered himself.

In Montreal 2009, Roger defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga with a 5-1 advantage.

He quickly overcame his opponent to win the second set, and he then harnessed that momentum to jump out to a 5-1 lead in the final.

Roger had won 11 of the previous 14 games and came within two points of the victory at 5-2 and 5-4. Tsonga prevailed all those contests and performed admirably in game 12 to overcome the deficit and earn three match points. Federer stood his ground to enter a tie break, but ultimately it was not to be his day.

Following a double fault that helped Jo-Wilfried advance to the second Masters 1000 semi-final, he lost it 7-3. With ten break chances, Federer outscored his opponent by nine points. He had never before wasted such a huge lead in his career, but it was not enough to get him across the finish line.

This competition will live on in the annals of history. Eight of the top-ranked players competed in the quarterfinals for the first time since the ATP ranking system was introduced in 1973. “Well, tennis is where it happens. Nothing is truly over until it is.

I felt that the match was quite up-and-down and that I ought to have won the opening set. Jo moreover lost all control of his game for an hour during the second and third sets. It was sad that I was unable to serve it. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t spectacular either, in my opinion, either. I felt it was a nice match.

It’s unfortunate because I should never have allowed him to return, but it occurred. Near the end, I believe I had poor starts to all of my service games; I may have been down 30-0 in each of them, which was a problem. Each time, I had to rush and begin taking some precautions.

Otherwise, I would give it to him, so he needed it. He made me work for it in this fashion, and he did well to turn the situation around. Being 5-1 ahead and losing despite being in the lead, especially after not lost serve prior to that setback, is not something I experience very frequently.

Even though it’s difficult, you still have a shot. In both tie breaks, I served poorly, and I believe that cost me the game “said Roger Federer.