Haas claims Tsonga scalp

02 May 2012 04:16

Top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga crashed out of the ATP tournament here on Wednesday, beaten 6-1, 6-4 by former German number one Tommy Haas in their second round clash.

Haas, who was as high as number two in the world in 2002 but has slid to 134 in the rankings after suffering several injuries, tore into world number five Tsonga's serve breaking him in both the second and fourth games of the first set.

Tsonga, who has not played since losing to compatriot Gilles Simon in the Monte Carlo Masters quarter-finals, put up more of a fight in the second set but Haas made the break in the fifth game to go 3-2 up and held on to claim the win.

Haas, who is now a naturalised American, will play Cyprus's 2006 Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis in the quarter-finals.

Tsonga for his part will move on to the Rome Masters to fine tune his preparation for the French Open which begins later this month.

Source: AFP