Tsonga stunned by Goffin

DavidGoffin

As the top seed for the ATP 250 hard-court event in Metz, home hope Tsonga had enjoyed a straightforward passage to the quarter-finals, after a bye in the first round and a straight-sets victory over Gilles Muller last time out.

All appeared to be going to plan when Tsonga romped to the first set, but he failed to build on his early advantage as the eighth seed Goffin fought back in impressive fashion.

A finalist in each of the last three years at this event - and champion in 2011 and 2012 - Tsonga blew the Belgian away in the first set with a double break as well as five aces to his opponent's one.

The second set was an altogether different affair which proceeded on serve, with Goffin forcing a decider after edging the tie-break.

Tsonga looked in good shape after an early break in the third, but Goffin hit straight back and then took the initiative with a further break in game 11, before sealing victory and a place in the semi-finals.

There he will take on unseeded German Jan-Lennard Struff, who advanced when compatriot Philipp Kohlschreiber retired hurt with a shoulder injury when Struff led 5-0 in the opening set.

After the disappointment of seeing Tsonga crash out, the home crowd were at least treated to a victory from 2009 winner Gael Monfils, who had little trouble in seeing off Jerzy Janowicz 6-3 6-4.

The second seed was dominant throughout, winning an incredible 94 per cent of points on his own first serve, thumping down 12 aces to Janowicz's one in sealing victory in just over an hour.

Paul-Henri Mathieu threw away match point when 5-3 up in the deciding set against Joao Sousa and ended up slipping to a 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7-4) defeat to the Portuguese.

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