Del Potro denied as Tsonga wins in Vienna

Oct 31, 2011, 7:25 GMT

Vienna - Disappointed Argentine Juan Del Potro gave his racquet bag a mighty kick after being broken in the seventh game of the final set as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga moved to a 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-4 victory to win the Erste Bank Open on Sunday.

The top seeded Tsonga became the first French player to claim the trophy in the Austrian capital, leaving Del Potro with little joy after going down in two hours, 29 minutes

The Argentine had been hoping for his third title of the season after winning on hardcourt in Delray Beach in February and the clay of Estoril on May 1.

Bit the South American second seed came up short when it counted against Tsogna, who had lost all three previous matches to Del Potro.

Tsonga insured victory as he fired 25 aces and broke twice in the second set and once in the third.

The ninth-ranked Frenchman who had to make comebacks after losing opening sets in two of three matches this week, was forced repeat the process by Del Potro, whose big serve let him down with only seven aces.

Tsonga moves past Mardy Fish into seventh in the race for a year-end finals place in London from November 20. Del Potro is still in with an outside chance on provisional 11th for the eight-man field at the World Tour Finals.

Despite the loss, Del Potro will move back to 11th in the world in the next rankings as he continues his climb after missing eight months of the 2010 season after right wrist surgery.

The South American has the December Davis Cup final with Spain in Seville on his mind, but it trying to concentrate on his matches over the next two weeks before worrying about the international team event.

His disappointment in Vienna was hard to miss. 'I really wanted to win this final,' said the 23-year-old, the 2009 US Open champion. 'But Jo was just too good on serve.

'Since I've had to make a comeback in the game, winning another title always means a lot. I'm getting closer to my best level but there is still a lot of work to do.

'I must prepare well for the rest of the season and for the Davis Cup final. The important thing for me it to keep focus. That is what I need to concentrate on.

'If I can do that it will help all of my game.'

Del Potro now stands 9-4 in career finals, and 2-1 this season. He was paying his first indoor final since the year-end event in 2009 in London, where he lost to Nikolay Davydenko.

Del Potro has climbed from number 484 in February to his current 15th.

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