Roger Federer vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Preview: ATP Montreal 2011

Roger Federer, twice a champion at the Canadian Masters, will meet Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at ATP Montreal on Thursday as the two players collide for the second time in as many tournaments.

Tsonga, France's No. 4, knocked Federer out of Wimbledon earlier this summer with a shocking come-from-behind quarterfinal victory, a result that ended Federer's bid for a seventh Wimbledon title.

The Frenchman, besides the recent win at the All England Club, also has a career win over the Swiss Maestro in a Masters Series tournament as the two players met at the Canadian Masters two years ago in the quarterfinal round, with Tsonga winning in a third set tiebreaker.

Otherwise on head-to-heads it has been all Federer as the current world No. 3 has defeated Tsonga in their four other meetings, three of which took place on hard court surface.

While Federer will be considered the favorite by many in the third round matchup, Tsonga is a dangerous player to be facing and the current world No. 16 should have some confidence entering the match.

The upsets are certainly being dealt out in Montreal with Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal both already out of the draw and both of those top players fell to opponents with less talent than Tsonga.

Federer, who made the final in Canada last season (in a loss to Murray), could be another high-seeded player to fall early and he will need to bring his best tennis to hold Tsonga off.

The match is scheduled to take place not before 7:30pm ET on Thursday night from central court in Montreal and fans should be expecting tightly contested sets.