“thumb dance“
In 2011, he was semi-finalist at Wimbledon, after a spectacular quarter won against Federer. There followed a final at Bercy and the Masters.
The next year, it’s the return of the “thumbs dancewith which he celebrates his victories : he climbed to the quarterfinals at Roland-Garros, becoming the first Frenchman of the Open era to reach this level within four “Majors“. He then reached the last four at Wimbledon and finished the year 5th in the world, his best ranking. In all, Tsonga will have spent 260 weeks in the Top 10.
But his great regret will undoubtedly remain the lost semi-final at Roland-Garros 2013. Thirty years after Noah, history reaches out to him. After having mastered Federer, then 3rd in the world, in the quarters, David Ferrer seems within reach. But, paralyzed by the stakes, Tsonga misses his big meeting.
After the game, “I wanted to break everything, to mutilate myself“, he will declare, frustrated at not having been able to show his best level in front”son” public. Because, beyond his prize list, rich with another Masters 1000 in Toronto in 2014, Tsonga will remain, with Gaël Monfils, one of the darlings of tricolor fans.
“In France, the public has always been extremely benevolent towards me […] It is a very powerful source of motivation. The least you can do is to give him back this support, to honor him by wetting the jersey“.
Founding member of the All In Tennis Academy, a new French training structure, Tsonga, married and father of a little boy, now wishes “help french tennis“.
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