• Australian Open, Day Ten

Exhausted Djokovic beaten by Tsonga

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had to fight hard to overcome the world No. 3 © Getty Images

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Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has set up a semi-final showdown with Roger Federer at the Australian Open after he came from a set down to beat Novak Djokovic 7-6(8) 6-7(5) 1-6 6-3 6-1.

Tsonga had to stay patient in an ebb-and-flow encounter that saw Djokovic power back from a first-set deficit to lead 2-1, but the match appeared to swing in his favour when Djokovic fled the court due to sickness at 0-2 down in the fourth set. The Serbian emerged a different player, allowing Tsonga to take full advantage.

This was a rematch of the 2008 Australian Open final, won by Djokovic in four sets after Tsonga had taken the opener. Two years on, the script appeared to be repeating itself as 10th seed Tsonga forged ahead early, only to then lose focus.

The first set dictated the tone of the roller-coaster that was to follow, with both players breaking each other twice to force a tie-breaker. Even then the match swung one way and then the other as both men wasted match points, before Tsonga made a bold move to the net, shielding his side of the court like a rash to snatch the breaker 10-8.

Djokovic appeared to have greater control over his racket though, committing less unforced errors, and Tsonga's more explosive game always boasted the potential to backfire as his attempted winners began to lack accuracy. A second set tie-breaker unravelled after two more breaks of serve, but this time it was Djokovic who stole the honours as a Tsonga forehand went long.

Djokovic's game was blossoming in stark contrast to the frustrations being suffered by his French counterpart, an awful forehand shank from Tsonga drawing gasps of hilarity from the Rod Laver Arena. The match was slipping away fast for Tsonga as his serve collapsed on two occasions, allowing Djokovic to take the third set 6-1 with a clinical forehand.

Illness strikes down Novak Djokovic mid-battle © Getty Images

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Then came the pivotal bout of sickness to Djokovic, who demanded a medical time-out as he raced to the dressing rooms, quickly slipping to a 4-0 deficit upon his return. The world No. 3's fight seemed to have gone and, despite rousing himself for a break of his own at 5-1, Djokovic was taken to a hugely unwanted fifth set.

The match was Tsonga's to lose, revenge for 2008 was in his grasp, and he responded by turning the screw for an instant break of serve in the decider. Djokovic summoned all his energy and scrapped to save three further points for a double-break, but Tsonga continued to beat his chest as chased down an improbable drop shot, closing out the contest 6-1.

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