Tsonga retires seven games into French Open match, sending Gulbis into fourth round

Latvian Ernests Gulbis, one of the ATP World Tour’s deep thinkers, is into the fourth round at Roland Garros after opponent Jo-Wilfried Tsonga retired during the first set of their third-round clash on Saturday. The Frenchman was leading Ernests Gulbis 5-2 in the first set when he called it quits. It’s been an unexpected fortnight for Gulbis, whose best run at a Grand Slam event, a semi-final finish, came in Paris in 2014. 

In the fourth round, Gulbis will face Belgium’s David Goffin, his occasional off-season training partner.

“In the practices I couldn't beat [Goffin] because the guy is like a wall. I think he likes playing against guys like me, who are hitting the wall,” Gulbis joked.

“But if I remember right, I beat him once in Acapulco or somewhere. I don't remember exactly where, but I think I'm capable of beating him.”

If Gulbis can overcome Goffin, he could face Thiem, and his former coach, in the quarter-finals.

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