Jo-Wilfried Tsonga rallies to knock top-ranked Roger Federer out of the Rogers Cup

Tsonga knocks Federer out of Rogers Cup

MONTREAL — Jo-Wilfried Tsonga upset Roger Federer in the Rogers Cup on Friday, coming back from the brink of elimination in the third set to beat the world’s top-ranked player 7-6 (5), 1-6, 7-6 (3).

Once Federer got a game away from closing out the match, the Frenchman broke his serve twice in front of a frenzied crowd at Uniprix Stadium.

“I did not feel real good — 5-1 down and Roger playing well and I had no solutions,” said Tsonga, who played through a sore right arm. “I just told myself ‘You have to hit the ball one more time than him,’ and I did it.”

In an evening match, fifth-seeded Andy Roddick recovered from a second-set service break to advance with a 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory over fourth-seeded Novak Djokovic. It was Roddick’s third win this year over the Serb. He is 4 for 4 in the tournament in tiebreakers and leads the ATP Tour with 33 tiebreaker wins.

“I’ve played seven of the last nine days, including last week (in Washington), so when you get to those crucial points, you’ve got to win them,” Roddick said.

Roddick is looking to reach a third straight final, after losing to Federer in a five-set thriller at Wimbledon and dropping the final in Washington to Juan Martin Del Potro.

He will face the winner of a match late Friday between defending champion Rafael Nadal and Del Potro.

Federer hung on to force a tiebreaker, but Tsonga used two aces to take the lead and Federer double-faulted on match point.

“It’s obviously disappointing but you know, that’s what Jo does — he doesn’t make a return for an hour and then he puts in a few and than all of a sudden he’s back in the match,” Federer said. “I should never have allowed it but it happened, so it’s a pity.”

The surprise 2008 Australian Open finalist ended Federer’s 22-match winning streak and earned a spot in the semifinals against Andy Murray.

Tsonga has won two of three career meetings with Murray, who earlier advanced 6-2, 6-4 over Nikolay Davydenko.

Federer took a break while his wife gave birth to twin girls.

He looked sharp against Tsonga, the world’s No. 7 player, until his first serve appeared to desert him late in the third set and he sent several groundstrokes wild.

“It’s great to get some matches in ahead of Cincinnati and the U.S. Open,” Federer said. “But my goal wasn’t to just to play matches and do press conferences.

“The whole trip here was to do well and try to win the tournament.”

Murray, who has yet to drop a set in the tournament, made the semis for the third time in four years.

It is Murray’s third trip to the Rogers Cup semifinals. Last year in Toronto, he lost to eventual champion Nadal. He was also in the semis in 2006.

It was hot and muggy on center court, but the Scot was prepared after training the past two weeks in Florida.