Q. How would you rate your performance tonight?

JO?WILFRIED TSONGA: It’s a big performance for me because James is a good player. For me it was really important to win today, to access the quarterfinal.

No, it was really important for me.

Q. How do you feel to be back in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open?

JO?WILFRIED TSONGA: I feel good. How I can feel bad (smiling)?

Q. Better than last year?

JO?WILFRIED TSONGA: No, the same. For me it’s gonna be a new round and against Verdasco. I know I have my chance, so I will try to take it.

Q. What is on your knee?

JO?WILFRIED TSONGA: It’s ice.

Q. Is there anything wrong with it?

JO?WILFRIED TSONGA: No, no, no.

Q. Did the fireworks affect you in any way in the third set?

JO?WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, a little bit, because after that I was a little bit stressed, you know. Yeah, it was difficult to serve just after the fireworks, and that’s it.

But I did the job, and I’m happy to did it.

Q. How do you assess the match with Fernando?

JO?WILFRIED TSONGA: It’s going to be a tough match, I think. Fernando played very well at the beginning of the season. I think I will be healthy. So I will do my best and we’ll see after the results.

But I know Fernando is a really good player. He won Davis Cup last year. And I think since that he’s very confident in his game and it’s gonna be hard.

Q. Were you surprised he beat Murray?

JO?WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, yeah, because Andy is maybe the best player of the end of the season last year, and he play well. He’s 4. So, of course, I’m a little bit surprised.

Q. Are you happy about that or would you have preferred to have played Murray?

JO?WILFRIED TSONGA: No. For me the same. I have to play again and I have to win. It’s the same.

Q. Do you think this tournament favors people who aren’t so experienced? You made it to the finals. Verdasco is through to the quarters.

JO?WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, maybe I have some experience. But he has, too. Like I said before, he won the Davis Cup. It’s a big event. It’s really tough to play a final like this, like he did. I know he will play his chance, and that’s it

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Tsonga didn’t give Blake much of a chance to get started, breaking Blake’s serve in the first game. It was the same in the second as Tsonga took a 2-0 lead.

Fireworks marking Australia Day in the early stages of the third set put the match on hold for about 10 minutes. It gave Blake a short-lived boost when the American broke Tsonga to take a 4-2 lead.

Blake served for the set at 5-3, but couldn’t close it out and Tsonga dominated the subsequent tiebreaker to advance to the quarterfinals against Spain’s Fernando Verdasco, who beat fourth-seeded Andy Murray in 5 thrilling sets earlier in the day. The two have never played. Here are Verdasco’s stats as per atpworldtour.com:

Birthdate:	15-Nov-83
Birthplace:	Madrid, Spain
Residence:	Madrid, Spain
Height:	6′2” (187 cm)
Weight:	179 lbs (81 kg)
Plays:	Left-handed
Turned Pro:	2001
Coach:	N/A

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The first grand slam of the season is upon us. We all remember Jo’s dazzling play as he beat 3 top 10 and 4 top 20 players last year before losing to Novak Djokovic in the final. In the first round, he defeated Juan Monaco of Argentina 6-4 6-4 6-0. The second round was extremely close but he prevailed in the end, defeating Croat Ivan Ljubicic 6-7 7-6 7-6 6-2. The third round was also very close, but he won beating Dudi Sela of Israel 6-4 6-2 1-6 6-1.

His 4th round match will be against James Blake whom Jo beat in the semifinals of the Paris 1000 Masters last fall. Here are his stats as per atpworldtour.com:

Birthdate:	28-Dec-79
Birthplace:	Yonkers, New York, USA
Residence:	Tampa, Florida, USA
Height:	6′1” (185 cm)
Weight:	183 lbs (83 kg)
Plays:	Right-handed
Turned Pro:	1999
Coach:	Brian Barker

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Jo’s tournament at Sydney was to be short-lived. After receiving a bye in the first round and defeated Simone Bolelli 6-4 6-1, he had to pull out of his quarterfinal against Nieminen.

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In Jo’s first tournament of the year, he played as the #2 seed at the brand new Brisbane International, which replaced Adelaide. In the first round, he defeated Agustin Calleri of Argentina 6-2 7-5. His next match was not as routine as he scraped past Finn Jarko Nieminen 0-6 7-6 7-6. His run was stopped in the quarterfinals by best friend Richard Gasquet, as he lost 1-6 6-4 6-2.

The week wasn’t a complete bust as he a Marc Gicquel won the doubles tournament, defeated Verdasco/Zverev 6-4 6-3

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