Gaël Monfils’ podcast interviewing Jo‐Wilfried Tsonga is a gold mine for enthusiasts. Asked about the atmosphere at Roland Garros to know if it was overrated or underrated, Jo was categorical.
“Really underrated I think. In fact we focus too much on the big courts but the atmosphere is also the “outdoor” courts where you can almost touch your champion. Afterwards it’s true that the central area is often deserted in the first ring but afterwards I can say that it grows very very strongly. For example, I remember my quarter-final against Djokovic where I lost having had 3 match points, it was totally crazy. I remember a forehand that I swung and the crowd rising, it was crazy. Afterwards I found that Roland‐Garros had lost a little of its splendor and then the new stadium arrived with the roofs, more space, it really made up for the “delay” and in terms of atmosphere it went up a notch. notch »
Published on Monday December 16, 2024 at 6:22 p.m.