Djokovic loses to Tsonga in Australian Open quarters, reversing result of 2008 final

2008 champion Djokovic out in quarterfinals

MELBOURNE, Australia — Third-ranked Novak Djokovic has lost to Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in an Australian Open quarterfinal that reversed the result of their final here two years ago.

The 10th-seeded Tsonga won 7-6, (8), 6-7 (5), 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the Wednesday night match. After his win in 2008, Djokovic has been eliminated in the quarterfinals two years in a row.

Djokovic took a medical timeout after going down 2-0 in the fourth. He’d just dropped a service game in which he clutched at his stomach and struggled to breath.

Tsonga took control of the remaining two sets and moved into a semifinal against top-ranked Roger Federer.

Djokovic retired in the fourth set of his 2009 quarterfinal against Andy Roddick due to heat-related illness.