By Chris Oddo | Saturday February 25, 2017

 

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga knocked off Nick Kyrgios in three sets to set an all-French final at the Open 13 in Marseille.

Photo Source: Pascal Guyot/AFP

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga knocked off defending Open 13 Provence champion Nick Kyrgios for his eighth consecutive win on Saturday, setting an all-French final with 23-year-old World No.17 Lucas Pouille.

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Pouille booked his first final of the season by putting forth a dominant win over Richard Gasquet, 7-5, 6-3. It was Pouille’s second consecutive win over Gasquet and second in three career matches with his compatriot.

After jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the second set, Gasquet won three straight to make a match of it, but Pouille served out the match on his second opportunity, clinching with a forehand volley into the open court.

Tsonga pushed past Kyrgios, 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-4, despite 16 aces from the Aussie, who won this title without the loss of a set in 2016.

After the pair split the first two sets, Tsonga was strong on serve in the decider, winning 15 of 16 first-serve points and not facing a break point.

He broke decisively in the third game of the third set when he slid a backhand up the line past a net-rushing Kyrgios.

Tsonga owns the 1-0 lifetime edge over Pouille thanks to a straight-sets victory over his compatriot at Monte-Carlos last year.

Tsonga is a two-time Marseille champion (2009, 2013).

Since 2006, a Frenchman has now won the Marseille title seven times and in three of the last five years.