NEW YORK—If you've watched any of the first three night sessions of this year's U.S. Open, you could be forgiven for thinking that the top seeds are simply invincible. Seriously—look at the scores the winners have posted, and tell me why the USTA shouldn't just give them byes into the third round. OK, besides the incredible revenue the organization generates from each evening show.
You might say the tournament was due for an upset, and if you didn't think Laura Robson's victory over Kim Clijsters was enough of a shocker, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga's loss to Martin Klizan certainly qualifies. In the well-attended Louis Armstrong Stadium (it was the day's first match there), the left-handed Slovak made all the right moves in a surprisingly overpowering performance, winning 6-4, 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.
It's unfair to Klizan to speculate whether Tsonga's injury that forced him out of Cincinnati—not an ankle sprain or bad back, no, he walked into a fire hydrant—but it shouldn't be entirely discounted. The fifth-seeded Frenchman won his first-rounder over Karol Beck in straight sets, but was hardly dominant, and today the heavy favorite wasn't his usual self. Tsonga's reaction, both in terms of agility and his strokes (his racquet reaction?) weren't at full speed, and he labored after a second set that appeared to signal a change in the match's momentum. Never today did Tsonga recall the player who at times seems destined to break through the Big Four's forcefield.
Klizan, who has risen from No. 117 to No. 52 in the ATP rankings since the beginning of 2012, took full advantage of his opponent's off day. He started with his serve, mixing in heavy blasts up the middle with second offerings that forced Tsonga out of position early. But his forehand was his most effective shot, and it was hit so deep, so often, that the usually attack-minded Tsonga was trapped behind the baseline and doing the defending. It was a strange sight for many reasons—for one, Tsonga hadn't lost a match before the third round of a Slam since 2007.
The combination of Tsonga's uninspired play and Klizan's imperious strokes led to an already surprising scoreline after three sets, a trend that would only intensify. Tsonga lost the first four games of the fourth set, looking lethargic at times and outclassed at others. He certainly couldn't be faulted for a well-placed second serve in the corner, only to see Klizan dart towards the crowd and coldcock a return winner. It was that kind that of day for Tsonga, made worse by poor returns of his own, and boos from the crowd when he gave a half-hearted effort at retrieving a Klizan lob. It was that kind of day, too, adding up to a particularly forgettable day for Tsonga, who looked dazed sitting in his chair after Klizan secured the match. He was looking at nothing in particular, but he might have been seeing someone who we'll be watching more often.
And if the 23-year-old puts on the kind of show he did today, that's just fine with me.
