Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will tread the clay courts of Roland-Garros for the last time in his career. After several years of hardship following numerous injuries, Tsonga has decided to retire after the 2022 French Open. tournament. Back to the story of Jo Tsonga at Roland-Garros.
“It is with great emotion that I announce today my decision to end my professional career at the next Roland-Garros tournament” wrote Tsonga on his Twitter account on April 6, 2022. At 37, Tsonga has left its mark on French tennis and Roland-Garros. Ex-world number 5 (27/02/2012), Tsonga won 18 tournaments including 2 Masters 1000 ATP (BNP Paribas Masters of Paris 2008 and Masters 1000 of Toronto in 2014). He also reached the Australian Open final in 2008, won the silver medal in doubles with Michael Llodra at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2017 Davis Cup.
In recent years Tsonga is only a shadow of himself. The 37-year-old player has been the victim of numerous repeated injuries for 3 years. It was only a matter of time before Tsonga decided to hang up. His start to the 2022 season is very complicated with a defeat in the first round of the Challenger de Pau and the Masters 1000 in Miami. Tsonga is now down to 220th place in the ATP rankings.
The best French Grand Slam of the 21st century will perform a final lap of honor in Paris. Here are the five games that marked the Tsonga era at Roland Garros.
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Semi-final 2015: Defeat against Stanislas Wawrinka (6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4)
Summary
- 1 Semi-final 2015: Defeat against Stanislas Wawrinka (6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4)
- 2 Quarter-final 2012: Defeat against Novak Djokovic (6-1, 5-7, 5-7, 7-6, 6-1)
- 3 Round of 16 2015: Victory against Thomas Berdych (6-3, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3)
- 4 Quarter-final 2013: Victory against Roger Federer (7-5, 6-3, 6-3)
- 5 Round of 16 2012: victory against Stan Wawrinka (6-4, 7-6, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4)
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Unhappy semi-finalist in 2013 against David Ferrer (6-1, 7-6, 6-2), Tsonga once again has the opportunity to reach the final of the French Open. Only here, the French must attack the wall Stanislas Wawrinka. The two men know each other well and Tsonga has the advantage since he beat the Swiss in 2012. However Wawrinka has become another player. He notably won his first Grand Slam tournament by winning the 2014 Australian Open, notably beating Djokovic (2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 9-7) and Rafael Nadal (3- 6, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6).
Serene and with a steel mind, Wawrinka will make short work of Tsonga. He will disgust the manceau on each ball and one statistic finally sums up this match well: 0/17. That is to say the number of break points converted by France. The French will not have been unworthy, on the contrary, he will have displayed a high level of play and will manage to snatch a set from the Swiss in the tie-break but that will not be enough. The adventure once again ends in the semi-finals for Tsonga. Wawrinka will win his second Grand Slam tournament on Sunday by winning against Novak Djokovic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6heNg7cWct4
Quarter-final 2012: Defeat against Novak Djokovic (6-1, 5-7, 5-7, 7-6, 6-1)
The cruellest of Tsonga’s defeats at the French Open. Despite 4 match points, Tsonga fails to get rid of world number 1 Novak Djokovic and will finally leave the Serbian spun in the fifth set. “It’s the most difficult defeat of my career, I haven’t lost that many matches where I had match points, it’s sure to stay” said Tsonga after his defeat at a press conference.
However, the Manceau does not have to be ashamed of its performance. He gave the best player on the planet a hard time for nearly 4 hours in front of the crowd at the Philippe-Chatrier court. Completely missed in the first set, the Frenchman then recovered to bend Djokovic with his powerful forehands. In an electric atmosphere, the Serb managed to resist. This 2012 quarter-final will remain one of Tsonga’s best matches on clay, despite the defeat.
Round of 16 2015: Victory against Thomas Berdych (6-3, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3)
One of Tsonga’s cleanest matches at Roland Garros. Despite a lost set, Tsonga was irreproachable against the Czech player. In 2015, Berdych is at the top of his game and is the current world number 4. In the first two sets, the French will drown the Czech by offering a diverse and varied game which puts Berdych in great difficulty.
In the third set, Tsonga lets the balls slip away and allows Berdych to come back into the game. In the fourth, the Frenchman regains his level of play and concludes without shaking. A small achievement for Tsonga against a Berdych who had not lost against a member of the world top 10 for more than eight months.
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Quarter-final 2013: Victory against Roger Federer (7-5, 6-3, 6-3)
Tsonga’s reference match at Roland Garros is certainly this 2013 quarter-final. Few players have managed to beat Roger Federer in three short sets in a Grand Slam tournament. In 2013, Tsonga made a perfect start to the tournament. He hasn’t lost a single set since the start of the French Open and enters the quarter-finals with full confidence. Endowed with an exceptional physical condition and a very powerful service, Roger Federer can only endure the match.
“He was better than me in all areas today” will recognize Roger Federer in the post-match press conference. Tsonga therefore joins the semi-finals of Roland Garros for the first time in his career. Unfortunately and despite the support of all the public, the adventure of Tsonga will stop dead in the semi-final against David Ferrer in a match where the French did not exist (6-1, 7-6, 6-2 ).
Round of 16 2012: victory against Stan Wawrinka (6-4, 7-6, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4)
A marathon to start the second week of the 2012 French Open. In a meeting that will take place within 2 days due to the night. Tsonga emerged victorious from a terrible battle in 5 sets.
The Swiss was not yet the player capable of winning a Grand Slam but he remains a formidable opponent nonetheless. Tsonga pockets the first two sets but the Swiss recovers at 2-2. The match will be interrupted in the fifth set because of the night. Not a problem for Tsonga who will finish the job without problem the next morning.
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Nicholas Depres
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