Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was expected to breeze past Ernests Gulbis in the second round at Wimbledon this afternoon.
The Frenchman was considered one of the big contenders for this year's SW19 crown but he is now out after pulling out after the third set when 2-1 down.
Read how the match unfolded in our game-by-game updates below.
Hello hello! Really looking forward to this match. Tsonga is a real crowd favourite while Gulbis is a bit of an enigma. If he has a good day at the office then he could present a real problem for the Frenchman.
Gulbis won the toss and chose to serve first, here we go...
First point of the match is a wonderful rally. It goes Tsonga's way as Gulbis nets a forehand after what must have been at least 20 strokes.
2/2 unforced errors for Gulbis to start the match but he makes up for it slightly with a big serve out wide to bring it back to 15-30.
And now a double fault from the Latvian. Two break points for Tsonga.
Gulbis saves both! First with a big serve up the middle before a backhand up the line lands just on the sideline. Tsonga challenges but HawkEye says that it caught the white.
Important hold for Gulbis after those two break points.
Much more comfortable on serve for the Frenchman as he holds to 15.
Both men certainly know how to play their shots but it's Tsonga who's making less errors at the moment. He moves 0-15 up on the Gulbis serve.
Three unforced errors in a row from Gulbis and it's three break points for Tsonga.
BREAK! Another forehand into the net from the Latvian and that's one of the easiest breaks of serve that Tsonga will ever get.
Wonderful way to end the game from Tsonga as he reaches down to pick up Gulbis's win-or-bust return and curl it into the open court.
I describe Gulbis as 'mercurial' in the introduction above and he's just shown why. After that horror game to surrender his serve he holds to love this time with some lovely touches.
Whoosh! That game went quickly. Tsonga moves to 40-0 with three straight aces before Gulbis pushes the return long on the fourth.
Gulbis remains just a break behind with a hold to 15. Tsonga tried an audacious drop shot when game point down but it floated just wide.
Gulbis with a excellent volley by his feet to move to 30-30 and a glimpse of a break back.
And now Tsonga swipes a forehand long and Gulbis does have the chance to level it up.
It's saved as Tsonga holds his nerve at the net despite a magnificent return of serve from Gulbis.
Another break point chance for the Latvian as Gulbis produces some more crowd-pleasing stuff at the net.
Wasteful from Gulbis as he hits a Tsonga second serve long. Back to deuce.
That's a big chance gone for Gulbis as Tsonga hangs on and moves to within a game of the opening set.
Elsewhere 15th seed Nicolas Almagro has just come through in four sets against Guillaume Rufin of France.
It's set point Tsonga after a rather casual point from both men ends with Gulbis firing wide.
"Aaah non!" Tsonga says to himself after slicing into the net. Deuce it is.
Another set point for the Frenchman as Gulbis double faults.
SET! Another double fault from the Latvian and that's the first set to Tsonga in 34 minutes. There was evidence of Gulbis's talent in patches but he made eight unforced errors and only managed to get 41% of his first serves in.
Tsonga is in a spot of bother in his opening service game of the second set at deuce.
The Frenchman holds on though as Gulbis nets a backhand return. The Latvian has to now hold his serve and not give Tsonga the initiative.
It's more of the same from Gulbis as he serves his fifth double fault after another unforced error to give Tsonga break point.
A pump of the fist from the Latvian as he hits a good low backhand with Tsonga at the net and Frenchman can't dink it over the net.
Gulbis with a chance to hold as he stays composed at the net after a rare one-handed backhand from Tsonga on the run flew just over the tape.
And hold he does as Tsonga thwacks a run-around forehand wide. Important moment for Gulbis, that.
A fifth ace of the match for Tsonga sees him hold to 15. The variety of serves in his locker makes it extremely tough for Gulbis or anyone to break.
Meanwhile, outside Centre Court: "@barneyronay: There's a massive crowd standing around outside Centre Court staring at Andy Murray's girlfriend standing around outside Centre Court."
Gulbis with his most comfortable hold for a while. If he could be that consistent all the time then he would surely be near the world's top 10.
(He's currently number 38).
Gulbis tries the smack-it-at-your-opponent tactic but Tsonga is wise to it, ducking out of the way to win the game at 40-15. The pair head to the change of ends and are both grinning because of that cheeky attempt.
Gulbis's best forehand of the match as he bends a winner up the line. He follows it up with a double fault - classic Gulbis.
Tsonga with a chance to break and he's given a short ball to attack with his deadly forehand but lashes it into the net. He looks up to the sky and screams in anger.
Tsonga earns another break point with a superb smash from just inside the baseline. Gulbis's forehand in the next rally is called out but he challenges it and the ball did indeed clip the baseline. They replay the point and Gulbis pulls it back to deuce with a volley that Tsonga can't quite track down.
"Game Gulbis," says umpire James Keothavong as Tsonga dips a forehand pass into the net. Another big hold for the Latvian.
Laughter trickles around Centre Court as a Tsonga first serve at 15-0 is heading straight for the line judge and his call of "OUT!" is higher-pitched than normal!
Fine backhand pass down the line from Gulbis and he's now leading this game at 15-30.
Tsonga with a mighty kick second serve that Gulbis can't get back in play. 30-30.
Tsonga goes for the serve-and-volley on game point but it's an excellent low return from Gulbis and Tsonga can only volley long.
BREAK! He's just about held on to his serve in this set but now it's Gulbis who breaks! Tsonga should put away a volley but the Latvian just reaches it and curls a crosscourt forehand onto the far line. Phenomenal shot.
You might expect Gulbis to falter after that crucial break but he holds to love with some excellent serving.
Tsonga's certainly feeling the heat! He double-faults twice in a row - his second and third of the match - and Gulbis is within two points of the second set.
What on earth just happened?! Tsonga has the easiest of volleys to put away with Gulbis on the floor but he spoons it back in the Latvian's direction and Gulbis loops the forehand pass in. He now has two set points.
SET! Gulbis smacks a forehand into the net with his first but converts on the second as Tsonga slices carelessly out. A very strange game from the Frenchman as it seemed he had already given up the set.
I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like that in a Grand Slam. You might expect Mansour Bahrami to produce something like that in an exhibition but not the sixth seed at Wimbledon!
Those of you who haven't heard of Bahrami, watch this:
Tsonga has called for the trainer and he seems to be pointing to his left knee as the problem. Gulbis heads off for a toilet break as the Frenchman receives a MEDICAL TIMEOUT. Surely not another withdrawal today?! There's been so many already.
The trainer heads back inside and Tsonga is able to continue. Phew! Third set now underway.
Comfortable start to the third for Gulbis. Will Tsonga feel OK when serving now? Come on Jo-Wilfried, battle through!
The Frenchman's left leg is now heavily strapped but he begins with an ace. It wasn't quite as ferocious as normal but just as accurate.
Those of you who want to keep up with Andy Murray's second round progress should open this commentary from Liam Power in a new tab. The Scot is up against Lu Yen-Hsun of Chinese Taipei on No. 1 Court.
Tsonga manages to hold but he definitely isn't moving as well as earlier on in the match.
Tsonga's face is not a happy one at the moment as Gulbis holds to love. Will the Frenchman be able to ride out this pain or will he become yet another retiree?
The Frenchman starts game four of the third with a double fault but moves well enough on the next to outfox Gulbis at the net. The crowd are definitely on Tsonga's side at the moment as they look to cheer his injury away.
Four straight points after that double fault as Tsonga wraps up the game with an ace out-wide.
Tsonga is offering very little on the Gulbis serve at the moment. It's another simple hold for the Latvian and Tsonga trudges back to his chair with his head down. He's really struggling to push off his left leg at the moment. If Gulbis is really mean he'll continue to hit to the backhand wing and make it worse and possibly force a retirement.
Gulbis has a chance to pile more misery on Tsonga with break point but he slips on the return and then offers the Frenchman an easy volley to put away which this time he hits into the open court, not straight back at his opponent!
A limp Tsonga forehand gives Gulbis another chance but again the Latvian squanders it as he fires a forehand return long. He's angry with himself and smacks his shoe with his racket a couple of times to show it.
BREAK! He gets it done at the third time of asking, putting away an easy backhand after Tsonga floated up a half-volley at the net.
You'd expect Tsonga to fall away but he now has two break points at 15-40 on the Gulbis serve...
The Latvian saves them both with a pair of booming serves.
Gulbis holds firm despite pressure from the far-from-100% Tsonga. Gulbis now one game away from the third set.
Elsewhere, Murray has just taken the first set 6-3 against Lu while one of the favourites in the ladies', Maria Sharapova, loses the first set 6-3 to world number 131 Michelle Larcher de Brito!
Tsonga forces Gulbis to serve out the set as he holds serve on what is now a sunny Centre Court.
SET! Some big serving from Gulbis helps him to 40-15 and two set points. He misses on the first by netting a forehand but makes it count on the second with a mighty second serve down the middle.
We're all looking at Tsonga to see if he plods past the net and shakes hands with Gulbis but he does sit down, puts his head in his towel and it looks like he'll carry on.
TSONGA RETIRES!
It looked as if the French sixth seed was going to plough on but after thinking it over for a couple of minutes, he rose from his chair and went over to shake Gulbis's hand. The Latvian moves into the third round where he will play Fernando Verdasco.
So another big seed is out of this year's Championships and Andy Murray's half of the draw gets even easier.
Next up on Centre is defending champion Roger Federer. Our commentary for that one will be live very shortly so look out for it. See you there in a few minutes.
Written by
Pascal Lemesre
Pascal Lemesre
