By Chris Oddo | Friday, April 18, 2014

 

Roger Federer was pushed to the brink in the first two sets by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, before closing out his 950th career win in three.

Photo Source: Julian Finey/Getty

Roger Federer was so angry during the second set of his Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters quarterfinal with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga that he hauled off and smashed a ball out of the stadium between points, earning a code violation for his decidedly uncharacteristic tantrum. But at the end of his topsy-turvy, 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-1 victory over the Frenchman, the Swiss maestro was all smiles.

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There was certainly good reason for Federer to be frustrated on Friday. He failed to convert on any of the thirteen break points he earned in the first two sets—enough to drive even the most placid tennis player mad. But in the second set tiebreaker, Federer took the play to Tsonga, and even though he failed to convert on his first three set points, he made good on the fourth, then coasted to victory in the decider to book a place in the Monte-Carlo semifinals for the first time since 2008.

Federer's perseverance would finally pay off when he converted on his 16th break point of the afternoon, forcing an errant Tsonga backhand with an inside-out forehand that gave him a 2-0 lead in the decider.

The world No. 4 would climb back from a 40-0 hole to earn his second break of the day when he rifled a forehand down the line that kissed the line for a winner and a 4-0 lead.

Although Tsonga would hold serve at 0-5 to avoid the third-set bagel, Federer would close out his 950th career victory on his third match point in the next game.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion's second consecutive win against Tsonga improves his head-to-head against the Frenchman to 11-4.

Tsonga has now dropped his last seven decisions against the ATP's top ten.

Federer's 27th victory of 2014 leads the ATP tour, and he becomes only the third player in the history of the ATP to reach the 950-win plateau, joining Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl.