MOSCOW, January 22 (RIA Novosti) - Mikhail Yuzhny, the only remaining Russian player in the men's singles at the 2008 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, was knocked out by the unseeded Frenchman, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old Frenchman progressed to his first Grand Slam semifinal as he confidently defeated Yuzhny, seeded 14, in straight sets 7-5 6-0 7-6 (8-6). He is now set to meet number 2 seed Rafael Nadal of Spain on Thursday.
"It's just unbelievable. It's amazing, I don't know what to say," Tsonga said after the match in an interview posted on the tournament's official website.
Earlier on Day 9 of the tournament, Russia's Maria Sharapova crushed top-seed and World No. 1 Justine Henin of Belgium in straight sets, 6-4, 6-0. She is now the only Russian player left in the women's singles.
