Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has declared he wants revenge against Roger Federer after ending the Australian Open campaign of dogged countryman Gilles Simon.
Tsonga, the 10th seed, whose only grand slam final appearance came at Melbourne Park in 2008, beat Simon 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 6-2 on Saturday night, his third straight sets win in as many matches.
He’ll meet four-time champion Federer in a marquee fourth-round match-up, after losing to the Swiss great in a quarter-final five-setter last year.
“For me its going to be the possibility to have revenge,” Tsonga said.
“I will do my best.
“I will give 100 per cent and maybe more on the court and well see what happens.”
Federer is also in fine form and seeking to extend his run of 10 straight semi-final appearances or better at Melbourne Park.
But Tsonga will take some confidence into the clash, having beaten the 17-time grand slam champion in straight sets in the quarter-finals of last year’s French Open, their most recent meeting.
Simon, the 18th seed, had fought valiantly in the opening rounds, after injuring an ankle in a warm-up event at Kooyong.
He staved off seven match points in the first round to beat German Daniel Brands 16-14 in the fifth set, then recovered from two sets to one down to beat Croatian Marin Cilic in the second round.
But he was unable to reprise those heroics against Tsonga, who didn’t drop serve for the match.