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By Alberto Amalfi | Sunday, September 17, 2017

 
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Dusan Lajovic, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-2, giving host France an unassailable 3-1 lead over Serbia and sending the nation into the Davis Cup final.

Photo credit: Corinne Dubreuil/Davis Cup Facebook

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga delivered a spirited Blue Sunday sending France into the Davis Cup final.

The French No. 1 defeated Dusan Lajovic, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-2, giving host France an unassailable 3-1 lead over Serbia in the best-of-five match semifinal on the red clay of Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille, France.

Watch: Clezar Fined $1,500 for Davis Cup Gesture

Tsonga crunched 32 forehand winners sealing Les Bleus first trip to the Davis Cup final since 2014 when it fell to a Swiss team led by Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka.

"It’s unbelievable for my team," Tsonga told Davis Cup.com afterward. "It’s the third time for me and it's great to take your country and put them on top of the world."




French players swarmed Tsonga, who had leveled the tie on Friday sweeping Laslo Djere, 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-3 in the second singles match of the semifinals.

The jubilant French faithful bounced up and down celebrating the nation’s 18th trip to the Davis Cup final.



Continuing its quest for a 10th Davis Cup championship—and first since 2001—France will face either Australia or Belgium in the November 24-26th final.




Lajovic, who opened the tie surprising world No. 22 Lucas Pouille on Friday, came out strong again rolling through the opening set today.

In the second set, Tsonga began to find his footing and range on the red clay.

The world No. 18 powered through the second set.

Tsonga struck early earning the mini-break in the third-set tie break. Unleashing some of his heaviest serving of the match, the two-time Roland Garros semifinalist sealed the third set on his second set point.

A weary Lajovic, who grinded through a three-hour, seven-minute triumph to open the tie, could not keep pace in the fourth set.




"I think my opponent did a great job, he was solid, he didn’t give me opportunities in the court, but I tried to make him play a little bit more and make it more physical," Tsonga said. "It’s a new opportunity to get the trophy, that’s it. We are just really happy."

French icon Yannick Noah has captained Les Bleus to the Davis Cup final for the third time and will try to capture the Cup for the third time as a captain following championships in 1991 and 1996.

"Obviously we want to win the whole thing but you have to win these kind of matches along the way," Noah said. "It was tough but it was a beautiful weekend of tennis I must say. There were a lot of people, 18,000 people. I am really happy the way Jo-Wilfried Tsonga played."

 

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