MELBOURNE - Hard-hitting Frenchman Jo Wilfried-Tsonga has declared himself fit and in top form on the eve of the Australian Open after defeating Germany's Tommy Haas 6-4, 6-3 at the Kooyong Classic on Friday. World number 10 Tsonga, who pulled out of season-opening tournaments in the Middle East after being troubled by a wrist injury, appeared in no discomfort when consigning Haas to his third straight loss at the invitational tournament. “My game improve, you know, match after match, and I play better and better every day and I think I will be ready for the big event,” said the 24-year-old, who on Thursday outclassed French Open finalist Robin Soderling 7-6, 6-1. Despite his low profile compared to other top 10 players, the bulky Frenchman looms as a major threat to the title ambitions of Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal next week. Tsonga made his name at Melbourne Park in 2008, where he upset Briton Andy Murray and Nadal on the way to losing the final to world number three Novak Djokovic. He advanced to Saturday's final at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club with a walkover on Thursday, after US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro pulled out due to wrist soreness. Ninth-ranked Fernando Verdasco awaits, the Spaniard, who defeated him in four sets at the quarter-finals of the Australian grand slam last year. “It's going to be a good test for me to know if I'm ready or not,” the 24-year-older said of Verdasco, who on Thursday thrashed a listless Djokovic 6-1, 6-2 in their semi-final. Chilean Fernando Gonzalez, who was eliminated by Verdasco in the first round, posted his second repechage victory with a hard-fought 6-4 7-6 win over Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic. Ukraine's Sergiy Stakhovsky upset 25th-ranked American Sam Querrey 7-5 6-3 in a separate exhibition match later on Thursday. Serbian world number three Novak Djokovic is scheduled to play an exhibition match with Australian teenager Bernard Tomic prior to the final on Saturday.
