Lukas Rosol handed the Czech Republic a 1-0 lead over France in their Davis Cup World Group quarter-final tie yesterday after beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a five-set thriller. The 78th-ranked Rosol stunned world number 10 Tsonga 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (10/8), 6-4 in three hours and 52 minutes.
The game started with a minute’s silence for the victims of Thursday’s terror attack in Nice that left at least 84 dead, of which 10 were children or youths. On the hardcourt of the Werk Arena in the eastern Czech town of Trinec, the big-serving, 30-year-old Rosol got off to an impressive start, taking the first set on a single break.
But Tsonga, who is 31, regained his first serve in the second set and took a 2-1 lead with a break in each set. Both held on to their serve in set four, with Rosol taking it in a thrilling tie-break after escaping from two match points.
Rosol and Tsonga traded breaks in the first two games of set five but the Czech then added another and converted his third match point. “I have no words for what happened on the court today,” Rosol told the Czech Television after the game. “It’s a fantastic feeling to play as number two against a number one and win in five sets. I’m simply in a good shape.”
The second rubber was to be played between French young gun Lucas Pouille, the world number 21 and Czech Republic’s Jiri Vesely, ranked 50th.
In today’s doubles rubber, veteran Radek Stepanek and Adam Pavlasek are due to face fresh Wimbledon champions Nicolas Mahut and
Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
For the reverse singles tomorrow, Vesely will first face Tsonga and Rosol is due to play against Pouille.
The Czech Republic won the Davis Cup in 2012 and 2013, while France last lifted the trophy in 2001.
The winner of the tie will face either the United States or Croatia in the semi-finals.