Roberto Bautista Agut defeated Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) on Grandstand to book his spot in round four of Miami Open
Quick start from Tsonga
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Roberto Bautista Agut got the match underway by each holding for 1-1. In the following game, Tsonga found himself with break point opportunities at 15-40, but the Spaniard managed to save both and bring the game to deuce. Tsonga had four break opportunities in the game and each time, the 27-year old managed to fend off the Frenchman, but on his fifth break point, Tsonga took his chances and broke to lead 1-2 in the opening set after a long game.
He consolidated for a 1-3 lead. In the next game, Bautista Agut had to fight from 0-30 to hold his serve. With the 30-year old leading 2-4, the 30-year old Frenchman had two break points and on his second he took his chances and broke. He served it out and won the set 6-2.
Bautista Agut fights on and wins the second set
Both players managed to hold to get the set underway. A couple of games later at 3-2, the world number 18 carved out his first break point chance at 30-40, hitting a forehand down the line. Tsonga would save the break point by hitting an overhead smash to level at deuce. He held and the set moved to 3-3. Bautista Agut held his service game and went 4-3 up in the set.
With the set boiling up nicely, the number three ranked Spaniard had a break point chance at 30-40 on the Tsonga serve. The number two Frenchman saved the break, but Bautista Agut never gave up and fashioned another break point at advantage with Tsonga hitting a forehand in the net. He broke to go 5-3 up in the set and a chance to level. Bautista Agut hit a forehand down the line to clinch the set 6-3.
Deciding set goes to a tiebreak, Bautista Agut wins
The final set got underway and Tsonga held his service game comfortably. On the Bautista Agut serve, Tsonga got ahead to a 30-40 lead and had the chance to break, but the Spaniard served an ace to take the game to deuce. Bautista Agut had chances to close out his service game with Tsonga denying him and fashioning his second break point. Once again Bautista Agut stopped Tsonga, taking advantage and held his game for 1-1.
Both players held comfortably as the set moved to 3-3. On the Frenchman's serve, Bautista Agut rallied from 30-0 down to gain a break point, but Tsonga hit an overhead smash. Tsonga double-faulted in the next point to gift break point chances to Bautista Agut. He served an ace and saved another break and from then on he held to go 3-4 up. Both players held and the match was nearing its conclusion at 5-5 in the decider. With the set level, Tsonga double-faulted handing a break to Bautista-Agut, he managed to fend off break point and hold.
The match went to a deciding set tie-break. Roberto Bautista Agut raced away to a 6-0 lead in the breaker, but Tsonga won three points in a row to stop the rot. The Spaniard closed out the tiebreaker 7-3 and booked his spot in the fourth round with a 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) victory. He will face six seed Kei Nishikori, who overcame Alexandr Dolgopolov in straight sets
Stats
Bautista-Agut served one ace and four double-faults. The Spaniard won 74 percent on his first serves and 54 percent on his second serves. He saved 9 of 11 break points (81 percent) and took only 16 percent of breaks. He won a total of 51 percent points.
Tsonga hit nine aces and four double-faults. He won 79 percent first serves and 51 percent behind his second. The Frenchman saved five out of six break points (83 percent) and took 18 percent of breaks. He went on to win 48 percent total points.
.