Beaten 2008 Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga says he's stronger and more versatile than he was two years ago as he heads into Friday night's semi-final showdown with world No.1 Roger Federer.
Tsonga overpowered the man who defeated him in the final two years ago, Novak Djokovic, in a memorable five-set quarter-final encounter on Wednesday night and feels he is ready to take the next step and become a Grand Slam title winner.
"Maybe I'm stronger, physically stronger. I think I have more than, one way to play, and this is why I'm better," Tsonga said when asked of his improvement.
Tsonga boasts a win over Federer in their most recent encounter in Montreal last year, prevailing in three tight sets. The 24-year-old feels that win will give him an edge coming into the clash against the 15-time Grand Slam champion.
"I know I can do that, but it was completely different. Now I have to win three sets, and it's gonna be difficult for sure," he said.
"I have to play my best tennis. Roger played unbelievable today again, because Nikolay (Davydenko) was in good shape, so it's gonna be tough. I will give everything and we will see."
It is just Tsonga's second appearance in a Grand Slam semi-final but the popular Frenchman is not concerned by his lack of experience against the Swiss master who has reached the final four on 24 previous occasions.
"It's good to have experience, but for that you have to win, you have to play before, Roger has experience because he won like 15 or 16 Grand Slams," he said.
"But he won the first one without experience, so I think at this level you never know what's happen."
"I feel good. I won two tough matches. My two last matches was tough, and I did it. Why not against Roger?"