• ATP Tour

Tsonga into final as Monfils crashes

ESPN staff
September 22, 2012
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was wasteful in victory over Nikolay Davydenko © Getty Images
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Defending champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga remains on course for back-to-back Moselle Open titles after he beat Nikolay Davydenko in three sets to reach the final on Saturday.

Tsonga had looked on course for an easy victory over his Russian rival as he waltzed through the first set without dropping a game. However, Davydenko raised his standard to level, only to drop the only service break in the decider to lose 6-0 3-6 6-4.

Tsonga was undoubtedly the stronger player throughout the match, creating 13 break points to Davydenko's two. But, much as he did in the quarter-finals, the Frenchman wasted the majority of those opportunities and was fortunate not to pay the price.

He will now meet Andreas Seppi in the final after Gael Monfils' comeback tournament ended at the semi-final stage, as Seppi battled back to claim a 3-6 6-1 6-4 win.

Monfils returned this week following four months on the sidelines and he looked good throughout the competition in Metz, showing no signs of any problem with his knee. But in Seppi he found an opponent in no mood to wilt and the Italian steeled himself to claim victory in an hour and 41 minutes.

"It was a tough match, like always," Seppi said. "Especially when you play against Gael in France, it's always tough. I think I started a little bit slow; I gave him too much rhythm. I did better in the second set and in the end it was more of a fight. We had some very long rallies, especially in the last game. I feel pretty confident and I hope I can recover for the final."

Fabio Fognini is one win away from his first ATP Tour title after claiming a 6-3 6-4 win over Daniel Gimeno-Traver to reach the final of the St Petersburg Open.

Fognini will face Martin Klizan in the final following the Slovak's 6-7(11) 6-4 7-6(3) win over the No. 1 seed and home favourite Mikhail Youzhny.

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