Super Tsonga shatters Federer, faces Djokovic

France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga sent six-time champion Roger Federer spinning to a landmark defeat at Wimbledon yesterday to set up a semi-final showdown with Novak Djokovic.

Tsonga bludgeoned Federer to a sensational 3-6, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 loss, condemning the Swiss to his first defeat in a Grand Slam when holding a two sets to love lead.

Tomorrow’s other semi-final will see top seed Rafael Nadal face off against British hope Andy Murray after they comfortably negotiated their respective quarter-finals against Mardy Fish and Feliciano Lopez.

But the story of the day was Tsonga’s stunning victory on Centre Court which raises more doubts about Federer’s ability to add to his record haul of 16 Grand Slams as he approaches the twilight of his career.

Federer, 29, who was also beaten in the quarter-finals in 2010, insisted he is not a spent force and can capture another major title.

“I think I definitely can, yes. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t the case,” he said.

Before meeting Tsonga, Federer had boasted a 178-0 Grand Slam win-loss record when winning the first two sets.

His only defeats from two sets to love up had come against Lleyton Hewitt in the 2003 Davis Cup final and in the 2005 Master in Shanghai against David Nalbandian.

Tsonga, a defeated quarter-finalist last year, said he surprised himself by his performance.

He was only broken once, in the second game of the match, and didn’t give Federer a single break point any of the last three sets.

“It was amazing. I played unbelievable. It’s never easy to come back against Roger. I’m so happy, it’s crazy,” said Tsonga.

Second seed Djokovic clinched a gritty 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Australian qualifier Bernard Tomic.

Djokovic arrived at Wimbledon with questions over his frame of mind as he prepared for his first tournament since his remarkable 43-match winning run was brought to an end by Federer at the French Open.

But the 24-year-old had too much experience for 18-year-old Tomic who was the youngest quarter-finalist since Boris Becker in 1986.

In the other half of the draw, Nadal was a comfortable 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 victor over 10th seeded Fish, the last American remaining in the tournament.

Nadal will now face Murray in the last four in a repeat of last year’s semi-final won by the Spaniard in straight sets.

Murray advanced after crushing Lopez 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.