Wimbledon Match Preview: Tsonga's Attack Vs. Ferrer's Defence

One of the most interesting matches to be played in the fourth round at Wimbledon 2011 will be between Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and David Ferrer. Tsonga is a natural attacker and this would have suited him in the past. Pete Sampras, Goran Ivanisevic, Roger Federer, all have won with attacking tennis. But things have since changed a bit. Players with excellent defence are succeeding on all surfaces with their ability to counter punch. David Ferrer is one of them. There is no player who works harder than him on court. He will reach all balls and put it back one more time. An attacker has to hit several winners in a rally to finally win the point. Does Tsonga have the capability to hit like that?

Tsonga has wider range of shots than Ferrer. His biggest asset is his natural movement to the net whenever he senses an opportunity. But Ferrer has excellent passing shots. Tsonga has good first serve and he moves in to set up a volley. He has good speed while advancing to the net, but once he reaches the service line, the return comes. If the return is in the normal volleying zone, he can win the point. But when it requires quick shuffle, problems could occur. Having a big frame, quick foot work is not Tsonga’s forte. Sometimes, he becomes unbalanced while hitting the volley, which makes his volley an inconsistent shot. Moreover, Ferrer has a very good return of serve. It is not easy to get aces past him.

David Ferrer keeps the ball deep. He likes to go on hitting top spin on both flanks. Players tend to avoid long rallies with him. Tsonga is a good baseliner too, but not as consistent. In the process of winning baseline rallies, it is Tsonga who is likely to go for the extra and hit beyond the lines.

If the match prolongs to a fifth set, Ferrer will have the advantage as he is a workaholic. Tsonga has had problems of prolonged focus. He also does not carry Plan B. His aces taper off as the match starts slipping out. His first serve percentage dips. Tsonga reaches a break point more easily than he converts it. If he has to win, it should be in 3-4 sets. For that, he would require first serve percentage around 70 and high rate of conversion of break points.

The crowd is likely to cheer Tsonga more vociferously. Ferrer is unlikely to get undone by it, but Tsonga can find extra motivation. Both he and Gael Monfils perform well when the crowd is behind them.