“I recovered less well than the Big 4”: Tsonga was limited by his physique in Grand Slam

As the end of his career approaches, he begins to take stock. The most successful French player of his generation, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has had many successes and even played in a Grand Slam final at the Australian Open in 2008, without however managing to win the Grail. But what did he miss in an era where the Big 3 or even the Big 4 left crumbs to the competition? “Not much“, he told AFP before his entry into the running Tuesday at the Open 13 of Marseille against his compatriot Gilles Simon in the 1st round.

“In one, physically: I was capable of great physical performance, but I recovered less well than them. I was doing a great performance but when I had to play again two days later, I had aches, sometimes tears, sore everywhere… In a match, I was competitive with them, sometimes better. But to continue… When you come out of a match against Rafa, and if you want to beat him, at least it will last 4h30, you have to start again two days later against Djokovic, and if you pass against Djokovic, you have to return two day after against Federer“, he recalls.

A phenomenon of power, he nevertheless considers that he has sinned in his ability to withstand brutal and prolonged efforts, even when he was in his best shape. And with age, it does not get better since Tsonga has suffered many injuries in the past two seasons. “In two, I lacked a bit technically (backhand and backhand in particular, editor’s note). And if there was to be any mentality, it was last. Because me, I expected only one thing when I played against them, it was to be in the ‘money time’. When it starts to count, my look changes, I become the one I should be, but I have trouble finding“, he underlines.

In 2008, he made it to the final in Melbourne by beating Andy Murray (then 9th in the world) in the first round, then the N.2 Rafael Nadal (6-2, 6-3, 6-2) in the semis. In the final, he yielded in the tie-break of the fourth set to let Novak Djokovic clinch the first of his 20 Grand Slam titles. In 2012, Tsonga reached No. 5 in the world and was a regular member of the World Top 20 and Top 10 for a decade, from 2008 to 2018.