Tsonga crushes Monaco, France even with Argentina

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France. (AP/Natacha Pisarenko)

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France easily defeated Juan Monaco of Argentina to level their Davis Cup quarterfinal at 2-2 and force a deciding singles between Carlos Berlocq and Gilles Simon.

Simon picked up a back injury in Friday singles, but was expected to play.

Argentina took a 2-1 lead by winning the doubles on Saturday, but Tsonga overpowered Monaco 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 to silence the home crowd at Parque Roca on the outskirts of the Argentine capital. Tsonga converted six of seven breakpoints in the match for his fourth victory in four matches against Monaco.

France has won all five of its Davis Cup matchups with Argentina. The winner this time will face the Czech Republic in the semifinals later this year.

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