Tsonga sees off marathon man Isner

AS Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and John Isner locked horns without giving an inch, there were plenty thinking ‘surely not again?’ Isner left an indelible mark on Wimbledon history after an 11-hour, 183-game marathon against Nicolas Mahut six years ago — the plaque outside Court 18 is a reminder — and for a time here it looked as though history would repeat itself. Both were at the mind-over-matter stage, locked at 17-17 in a fifth set that had already gone beyond two hours. Their brains were aching as much as their limbs as they searched for chinks in each other’s titanium-tough service games, before the Frenchman eventually took the match 6-7, 3-6, 7-6, 6-2, 19-17. Tsonga (right) admitted afterwards that thoughts of Mahut, his French compatriot, flashed across his mind each time Isner sent down another ace, with no end in sight. Then, in the 32nd game, the American squandered a match point. Tsonga seized his opportunity, breaking in the 35th game and closing it out. The fact he could summon the energy to celebrate was surprising. He’d have done well to preserve some for today against Richard Gasquet — who prevailed over Spain’s Albert RamosVinolas. The winner will be on course to play Andy Murray in the quarter-finals. ‘It’s a little bit sad because a few days ago I won my first match and I had to wait two days to play my second match,’ said Tsonga. ‘Now I have to play three days in a row. That’s a little unfair.’ Lucas Pouille is another Frenchman into the last 16 as he completed a 6-7, 7-6, 7-5, 6-1 win over Juan Martin del Potro. Tempers had frayed over a line call late on Saturday night, with Pouille warned and Del Potro telling him to ‘shut up’ during a tetchy exchange, but the No 32 seed was clinical when the contest resumed and faces Bernard Tomic next. Meanwhile, German teenage prodigy Alexander Zverev achieved his ambition of playing on Centre Court, but Tomas Berdych saw him off 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.