Week two of Wimbledon is when the cream often rises to the top, and that was certainly the case on June 3 when Jo-Wilfried Tsonga came through a gruelling third round match against John Isner.
With the likes of Andy Murray, Milos Raonic and Bernard Tomic all comfortably through to the fourth round, the pressure was on Tsonga to deliver against the 18th seed Isner.
Despite starting the match as the higher ranked player, Tsonga certainly didn’t look as though he was the superior player after dropping two straight sets.
Fortunately, Tsonga is made of stern stuff and, after rallying in the third to take a vital set, the Frenchman stormed through the fourth 6-2 before winning one of the most epic Wimbledon tiebreakers in recent memory.
Tsonga Records One for the Record Books
At times in the fifth it looked as though Isner’s powerful serve would blow away Tsonga, but as the set wore on, the equally powerful Frenchman began to outmuscle his opponent. Eventually, after 35 games, Tsonga caught a break and clinched the match in the 36th.
Tsonga’s 19-17 victory in the fifth will certainly go down in the annals of time, but has it helped Tsonga’s chances of success at the world’s oldest tennis tournament?
A fourth round tie against Richard Gasquet certainly won’t be a walk in the park. In fact, the odds makers at bet365 can’t squeeze a tennis racket between them with identical odds of 10/11.
However, assuming you believe that Tsonga’s recent performance was good enough to make him a top prospect for the Wimbledon 2016 title, then Ladbrokes’ 40/1 odds should look highly attractive.
While the French pro would have to put in at least one or two more performances like the one he displayed against Isner, the long odds certainly offer some value for canny punters.
When the Favourite Might Not be the Favourite
If you’re looking to back the favourite, Ladbrokes is offering 10/11 on an Andy Murray victory. Of course, if tradition holds then he might struggle in the final stages.
Despite taking the title in 2013, Murray hasn’t managed to make the final since and with British players buckling under the weight of expectation, Murray’s short odds might belie his true chances of winning.
While it’s worth noting that Novak Djokovic is no longer a threat to Murray (he crashed out to Sam Querrey), the Scotsman will still have to contend with the likes of Roger Federer and Raonic if he wants to win Wimbledon.
Indeed, at 7/2 and 7/1 respectively, the odds on a Federer or Raonic win are enticing. However, if Tsonga can pick up where he left off against Isner, he may just be the man to beat.
Naturally, the odds are merely a hint as to what might happen on the courts, but if you’re looking to for a slice of value then Mr. Tsonga looks like he’s ready to serve up some more memorable performances this summer.
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