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Tsonga continues to soar
TOM TEBBUTT
From Friday's Globe and Mail
January 24, 2008 at 8:40 PM EST
<!-- dateline -->MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA<!-- /dateline --> — Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France blasted, bullied and feathered Rafael Nadal out of the Australian Open in yesterday's semi-final, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, and it was not even as close as the score suggests.
He took the game to Nadal with huge serving, a pulverizing forehand and a nifty touch around the net. He was so spectacular he often made the world No. 2 look defenceless.
"He played unbelievable," said Nadal, who had only four unforced errors in the first two sets. "In the backhand, he didn't miss one. Every time he does the forehand, it was a winner. So congratulate him."
A joyous Tsonga, who hit 49 winners, admitted, "It's the first time I played at this level and it's in the semi-finals of the Australian Open."
<!--no_match-->
As a junior, he won the 2003 U.S. Open (over Marcos Baghdatis) and finished the year ranked No. 2.
His transition to the pros hit a roadblock with knee, shoulder and abdominal injuries. But the main problem was a bulging disc in his back in 2005.
"When I was treated for a herniated disc, that was the worst," he told the French sports daily L'Équipe. "Everything I did hurt, even the smallest thing. I cried the day I asked the doctor if I'd be able to play again, and he said, 'It will be tough.' "
He was on the sidelines while French peers such as Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils shot up the rankings. But they did not forget him, with Monfils once sending him a text message: "Come back quickly buddy, we'll do fantastic things together."
Tsonga, 22, told L'Équipe, "My struggles made me sure about three things: one, I love tennis; two, I want to do great things; and, three, I can do it."
After languishing above 200 in the rankings in 2005 and 2006, he began to fulfill his promise last year, ending up No. 43.
He got into the 2007 Australia Open only through an exchange of wild cards between French and Australian officials. "I didn't feel at home in the locker room," he said, "I was saying, 'Excuse me' [in accented English] every 30 seconds. But that's over, I'm [ranked] No. 38 and I belong now."
He proved that with his first-round 7-5, 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 (5) win over ninth seed Andy Murray in the Rod Laver Arena. "I never thought, 'Oh, it's Murray, I'm cooked,' not at all. I thought, 'If I beat him, I'll open up my draw.' "
He has won five more matches, also ousting eighth seed Gasquet and 14th seed Mikhail Youzhny.
His first career final comes at a Grand Slam. At home in Le Mans, France, which is famous for the 24-hour motor race, everyone is staying up to all hours following his exploits.
Tsonga's father, Didier, is from the Congo and moved to France in the 1970s to play team handball. His mother, Evelyn, is a Frenchwoman. He has an older sister and a younger brother, Enzo, who is a promising basketball player. Back in the day, Jo-Wilfried and Enzo used to pretend to be Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
At 6 foot 2 and 200 pounds, fast and strong, Tsonga is a natural. "From my mother, I got my cool side, calm and serene," he said. "From my father, mostly respect for rules and the people around me. I can also thank him for my physical attributes. I think a lot of my serve comes from him."
Didier told L'Équipe about his son's sensational breakthrough, "It's époustouflant [mind-boggling], we've been waiting for it and he's there, n'est-ce pas?"
Regarding his son giving him credit for his serve, Didier said, "You can ask his old coach, he's seen me serve. It's my handball background. I've got a real arm."
Jo-Wilfried's fresh-faced good looks have drawn comparisons with Muhammad Ali, although he is not quite as "pretty" as the boxing great used to describe himself.
"It's an honour to be compared to him," Tsonga said.
There is also a little of the Ali sense of the occasion in the mild-mannered Frenchman.
"I have a feeling that I'm made for the big matches on the big stadiums," Tsonga said. "That's where I'm at my best."
Either Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic will be the daunting opposition in the Rod Laver Arena for the final on Sunday. "Both of them have two arms and two legs like me," Tsonga said after beating Nadal. "I'll do my best."
Tsonga continues to soar
TOM TEBBUTT
From Friday's Globe and Mail
January 24, 2008 at 8:40 PM EST
<!-- dateline -->MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA<!-- /dateline --> — Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France blasted, bullied and feathered Rafael Nadal out of the Australian Open in yesterday's semi-final, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, and it was not even as close as the score suggests.
He took the game to Nadal with huge serving, a pulverizing forehand and a nifty touch around the net. He was so spectacular he often made the world No. 2 look defenceless.
"He played unbelievable," said Nadal, who had only four unforced errors in the first two sets. "In the backhand, he didn't miss one. Every time he does the forehand, it was a winner. So congratulate him."
A joyous Tsonga, who hit 49 winners, admitted, "It's the first time I played at this level and it's in the semi-finals of the Australian Open."
<!--no_match-->
As a junior, he won the 2003 U.S. Open (over Marcos Baghdatis) and finished the year ranked No. 2.
His transition to the pros hit a roadblock with knee, shoulder and abdominal injuries. But the main problem was a bulging disc in his back in 2005.
"When I was treated for a herniated disc, that was the worst," he told the French sports daily L'Équipe. "Everything I did hurt, even the smallest thing. I cried the day I asked the doctor if I'd be able to play again, and he said, 'It will be tough.' "
He was on the sidelines while French peers such as Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils shot up the rankings. But they did not forget him, with Monfils once sending him a text message: "Come back quickly buddy, we'll do fantastic things together."
Tsonga, 22, told L'Équipe, "My struggles made me sure about three things: one, I love tennis; two, I want to do great things; and, three, I can do it."
After languishing above 200 in the rankings in 2005 and 2006, he began to fulfill his promise last year, ending up No. 43.
He got into the 2007 Australia Open only through an exchange of wild cards between French and Australian officials. "I didn't feel at home in the locker room," he said, "I was saying, 'Excuse me' [in accented English] every 30 seconds. But that's over, I'm [ranked] No. 38 and I belong now."
He proved that with his first-round 7-5, 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 (5) win over ninth seed Andy Murray in the Rod Laver Arena. "I never thought, 'Oh, it's Murray, I'm cooked,' not at all. I thought, 'If I beat him, I'll open up my draw.' "
He has won five more matches, also ousting eighth seed Gasquet and 14th seed Mikhail Youzhny.
His first career final comes at a Grand Slam. At home in Le Mans, France, which is famous for the 24-hour motor race, everyone is staying up to all hours following his exploits.
Tsonga's father, Didier, is from the Congo and moved to France in the 1970s to play team handball. His mother, Evelyn, is a Frenchwoman. He has an older sister and a younger brother, Enzo, who is a promising basketball player. Back in the day, Jo-Wilfried and Enzo used to pretend to be Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
At 6 foot 2 and 200 pounds, fast and strong, Tsonga is a natural. "From my mother, I got my cool side, calm and serene," he said. "From my father, mostly respect for rules and the people around me. I can also thank him for my physical attributes. I think a lot of my serve comes from him."
Didier told L'Équipe about his son's sensational breakthrough, "It's époustouflant [mind-boggling], we've been waiting for it and he's there, n'est-ce pas?"
Regarding his son giving him credit for his serve, Didier said, "You can ask his old coach, he's seen me serve. It's my handball background. I've got a real arm."
Jo-Wilfried's fresh-faced good looks have drawn comparisons with Muhammad Ali, although he is not quite as "pretty" as the boxing great used to describe himself.
"It's an honour to be compared to him," Tsonga said.
There is also a little of the Ali sense of the occasion in the mild-mannered Frenchman.
"I have a feeling that I'm made for the big matches on the big stadiums," Tsonga said. "That's where I'm at my best."
Either Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic will be the daunting opposition in the Rod Laver Arena for the final on Sunday. "Both of them have two arms and two legs like me," Tsonga said after beating Nadal. "I'll do my best."
