Haas upsets top-seed Tsonga

Munich - Top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga crashed out of the ATP tournament here on Wednesday, beaten 6-1, 6-4 by former German No 1 Tommy Haas in their second round clash.

Haas, who was as high as No 2 in the world in 2002 but has slid to 134 in the rankings after suffering several injuries, tore into world No 5 Tsonga's serve, breaking him in both the second and fourth games of the first set.

Tsonga, who has not played since losing to compatriot Gilles Simon in the Monte Carlo Masters quarter-finals two weeks ago, put up more of a fight in the second set but Haas made the break in the fifth game to go 3-2 up and held on to claim the win.

"Simply said it was that Tommy played better than me," said Tsonga.

"He didn't allow me any time to express myself, or to control the ball.

"It wasn't down to a lack of practice as I put in two two hour sessions and normally that is sufficient.

"Obviously conditions are different when you are practicing and playing a competitive match, the court as well. But I played well at Monte-Carlo and before that in the Davis Cup so I was match ready."

Haas, who is now a naturalised American, will play Cyprus's 2006 Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis in the quarter-finals, who rallied to beat German qualifier Dustin Brown 1-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Results on Wednesday from the BMW Open on outdoor clay at Iphitos Tennis Club (seedings in parentheses):

Second Round

Marcos Baghdatis (8), Cyprus, def. Dustin Brown, Germany, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Marin Cilic (3), Croatia, def. Matthias Bachinger, Germany, 6-3, 6-2.
Tommy Haas, Germany, def. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (1), France, 6-1, 6-4.
Mikhail Youzhny (6), Russia, def. Santiago Giraldo, Colombia, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 6-4.