STOKED-UP Stan Wawrinka launched a verbal volley at Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a stormy quarter-final clash today.
The pair squared up as Swiss star Wawrinka clinched the opening set – then again when he appeared to smack a winner straight at his French opponent.
But both men insisted they had kissed and made up after Wawrinka’s comfortable 7-6 6-4 6-4 win.
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Sparks flew as Wawrinka clinched a first set tie-break, then barked in French: “What did you say? You’re the one looking at me and talking to me. What are you looking for? Come on, let it go. Did I look at you once?”
Tsonga backed down, but tensions threatened to boil over in the seventh game of the second when he was almost struck as his rival stepped forward and smashed a ball in his direction.
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Wawrinka waved a hand in apology – but Tsonga walked away, muttering.
US Open champ Wawrinka said later: “The beginning of the match was quite tense from both sides. You can always have some tension. Everybody goes out there to win, so things can happen.
“But at the end, there is no problem. We get on well.
“I think you already know everything, it’s on TV, everyone heard it all.”
Tsonga shrugged: “Sometimes it happens. We say things during the game. But it was nothing special.
“We spoke about things that are between him and me. That’s it.”
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