Jo-Wilfried Tsonga lifted France to the Davis Cup final via a 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(5), 6-2 win over Dusan Lajovic of Serbia on Sunday in Lille. Tsonga hit 38 winners including eight aces to beat Lajovic in two hours and 48 minutes as France avenged its loss to Serbia in the 2010 final with a 3-1 win in the best-of-five series. The win was Tsonga's 20th singles victory in his Davis Cup career.
Tsonga’s win gave Yannick Noah his third Davis Cup final appearance as captain but his first since 1996. Noah has not lost a final as a captain as France defeated Sweden in 1996 and the United States in 1991.
In the final, France will go for its 10th Davis Cup crown against Belgium. The Frenchman last won the Davis Cup in 2001 after beating Australia. After that, they placed second in 2002, 2010, and 2014.
Belgium, for its part, advanced to the final after victories by David Goffin and Steve Darcis in the reverse singles against Australia. Goffin, ranked No. 12 in the world, defeated Nick Kyrgios, 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, It was a huge victory considering Goffin is winless in three outings against Kyrgios, losing to the Australian at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 legs in Miami and Cincinnati. Then, Darcis defeated Jordan Thompson, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2, to carry Belgium to its second final appearance in three years.
In their head-to-head showdown in the Davis Cup, the Frenchmen lead the Belgians, 4-3. In 2001, France swept Belgium, 5-0, in the first round.
Diyas bags first title in Japan
On the women’s side, No. 100 Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan bagged her first career WTA title after beating Miyu Kato of Japan, 6-2, 7-5, in the finals of the Japan Women's Open in Tokyo.
It was an amazing week for the 23-year-old Diyas, who defeated second-seeded Zhang Shuai, eighth-seeded Yulia Putintseva, and defending champion Christina McHale en route to the final against Kato -- the first Japanese player to reach the final of this event since Kimiko Date-Krumm in 2010.
Divas took control of the match from the outset, breaking Kato in the first game.
Kato committed a double fault in the seventh game, giving Diyas another break before she took the opening set. The second set was a close one before Diyas got a break in the 11th game before serving out the match.
Alison van Uytvanck wins in Canada
In Quebec City, No. 7 seed Alison van Uytvanck won her first career WTA crown at the Coupe Banque Nationale with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 win over third seed Timea Babos. With the win, van Uytvanck, who began the season outside the Top 130, will enter the top 70 in the rankings.
