May 13
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the Australian Open runner-up who missed a month because of a right knee injury, rallied to beat Nicolas Mahut 0-6, 7-6 (5), …
Mar 02
| Spanish heart-throb Nadal willing to bide his time |
Jan 28
[People's Daily, China] Novak Djokovic of Serbia kisses the trophy after the men’s singles final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France in the Australian Open Tennis Tournament in Melbo …
Jan 27
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France moves into Top 20 after runner-up … |
Jan 27
[Yahoo News] Novak Djokovic stood toe-to-toe with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and soaked up everything the Muhammad Ali of tennis could throw at him before delivering a knock-out blow of his own to clinch the Australian Open title on Sunday.
Jan 27
[CNN.com International] Serbian third seed Novak Djokovic claimed a dramatic triumph in the Australian Open final when he defeated unseeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-6 on Sunday.
Jan 27
[The Daily Telegraph] NOVAK Djokovic broke through for his first grand slam with a four-set victory over unseeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Jan 27
Transcribed interview with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga during the Australian Open 2008.
Date: Sunday, 27 January, 2008
Q. What are your thoughts after the match? What are you thinking?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Lot of things. I’m very proud of myself. I’m happy for Novak, because he played unbelievable today. I don’t know if I have to be sad or happy of this final, but I feel great.
Q. What was your feeling coming in? Were you nervous at the start of today’s match?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, no, no. I was okay. Like every day. Very relaxed. I don’t know what say. I think Novak played very good today, and it was tough.
When you have a match, you have one player and one opponent, and you don’t know who’s gonna win. At the end, all the time you have a winner. So today was Novak.
Q. Now that you’ve been in the final, how hungry are you to be back in a final again?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: It’s just unbelievable because the crowd was unbelievable. A lot of noise and everything. I had frisson (goosebumps). It was crazy (smiling).
Q. You seemed quite happy about the amount of time he was playing between points. You mentioned it to the umpire. Do you think it’s fair the gap between points?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, sometimes, you know, when you have to return, you are like this (ready). When your opponent take a lot of time, you go for be ready, and after not, and you are like this (back and forth). When he serves, you are not ready because you are like this (back and forth).
It’s very difficult. Between points you have like 25 seconds for play. When it’s 40 seconds, the umpire have to say something, you know.
Q. How does it feel to be in the top 20?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Pretty good (smiling).
Q. Does this give you the confidence now to maybe break into the top 10?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, of course, of course. Not everybody can beat player who I beat. So I know Richard or Youzhny or Rafael, they are very good player. And beat them, it’s very difficult, and I did it, so…
Of course, I’m confident now.
Q. How good was it having your mom and dad fly over for the match?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: For me it was very important, because one of the dream of my father, it was to come here, and I did it, so it’s good.
Q. It was a dream for him to come here to see you play?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah.
Q. How long has he been speaking about that?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Since a long time. I don’t know. I cannot say the time. Maybe since I play tennis.
Jan 25
Transcribed Interview with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga during the Australian Open 2008.
Date: Thursday, 24 January, 2008.
Q. In your wildest dreams, did you expect such a victory?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Sorry?
Q. In your wildest dreams, did you expect such a victory?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, for me it’s a big dream. I don’t know what’s about that. It’s just amazing. I played unbelievable tonight.
I don’t know what’s about that?
Q. What worked for you tonight? What did you like about your game?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Everything. Everything was in and my backhand worked a lot and my serve also, my forehand, my volley, my dropshot, everything. It was — I was moving on the court like never I move, so everything was perfect.
Q. Is there a point where you’re saying, This is ridiculous; this just can’t go on?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: It’s ridiculous, for sure. For sure, because I think it’s the first time I played this level, and it’s here in semifinal of Australian Open. It may be the best moment for…
Q. So you never played this well anywhere against anyone at any level than what you played tennis?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Can you repeat.
Q. You never played anywhere, against anyone, at this level of tennis? You’ve never done this kind of thing before?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Never.
Q. How do you explain it? It’s unbelievable, but how? Why? How do you explain that can happen?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I don’t know. Maybe before it was different because I never practice like this at the winter. I never practice like this. And this year, I have — I made it, and it work. It work. That’s all.
Q. Can you keep this level up for just one more match?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yes. (laughter) Yes, I will try, for sure.
Q. Has the fact that you’ve had to come back from so many injuries given you more motivation to reach the highest level?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Maybe not more motivation, but maybe more pleasure. To be happy of what I’m doing. You know, it’s a passion for me, so, yeah, maybe the pleasure.
Q. Were there times when you thought in your head you’d be able to do it, but physically your body wouldn’t allow you to get to this level of tennis?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Sorry?
Q. Were there times when you had fears that your body, because of the injuries, wouldn’t allow you to get to this level of tennis, even though in your mind you knew you could play at this level?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yes, it was like that, no? I knew that I can play unbelievable, but my body was not ready for that before. Now is ready, so I do it.
Q. So walk us through what it’s like to play tennis like that. I mean, do you see every ball in slow motion, or is the whole thing a blur? What is it like being out there when you can do that?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I don’t know. I take it like it’s coming, you know. The ball come, I say, Okay, I hit here. And that’s it.
Q. You seemed to know where his shots were going. Every shot he made you seemed to know where it was going before he hit it. Did you feel that way tonight, that you just guessed right every single time?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yes, everything was right, you know? Like I said before, the ball come, and I say, Okay, I go there and I go to the net. That’s it, you know. I have no more question to ask me, you know.
I have to play like that, and if I think, Okay, I play there and maybe after - no. I take like it’s coming when I see it.
Q. Against Youzhny at the end you looked a little bit nervous. But tonight did you feel the same at the end when you were serving for the match? Were you calmer this time?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: It was different, because yesterday it was really the first time I met something like that, you know. For me it was unbelievable. Today I said, Okay, yesterday I did it, so today it’s going to be the same.
Q. Were you expecting a different reaction from Nadal on court? I mean, you were surprised by yourself, but were you also surprised by the fact that he wasn’t…
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, I was just surprised about my game. Rafael play the same tennis all the time. His level is very high and it’s very difficult to play against him. But today, for me, everything was in, so what can I say about it?
Q. Why do you think you haven’t produced tennis anywhere near this level up until really now?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Because, like I said before, my body was not ready. And now maybe with the work and everything is more ready for that, because it’s difficult to move, to hit very hard, and everything.
Q. Because you’ve never been this far in a major tournament, is it challenging trying to plan out what you do between now and Sunday’s final?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, no, no. I don’t think so. I will do everything for you and then I will take some rest and do the same thing as before.
So, no, it’s not — it will be okay because I play three sets, so I don’t need like four days for rest. It’s okay. I’m all right.
Q. How are you going to spend the next two days? What will you be doing?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I will do press tonight; tomorrow rest; little bit press after tomorrow; and that’s it. I will play every day one hour. I will make some train, training. That’s it.
Q. How important was the crowd tonight?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: The crowd?
Yes, it was very important, because I like that when there is a lot of people like this. They give me lot of energy.
Q. If you play this well again on Sunday night, do you think either Federer or Djokovic can beat you?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I don’t know. But I will do my best on the court, so I know it’s going to be difficult to beat me.
Q. Do you think you played at such a high level the last couple of days, particularly tonight, that your nerves in a sense haven’t really been tested in a really tight situation because you played too well to get into that situation?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yes, I don’t know, but the first one was not very easy for me. I play against Andy and it was very tough, so I don’t know. I will see, but now I’m in final, and, okay, if I win in three sets, I don’t need the… (laughter).
If I win in three sets it’s perfect. If it’s four sets, we will see. If it’s five, maybe it’s going to be the same. Maybe I will lose; maybe I will win. I don’t know.
But now I’m in final and I can win, like I don’t know. We are both on the court, so one is the winner.
Jan 22
Transcribed interview with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga during the Australian Open 2008.
Date: Tuesday, 22 January, 2008
Q. I suppose it’s a bit cliche, but can you describe the emotion and the feeling you felt when you won that match point and collapsed to the ground?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I don’t know how to say that. It’s like I want to cry, I want to smile, I want everything. And it’s a lot of emotion, so…
Q. You were very emotional when you spoke to Jim Courier afterwards. Was that part of the process of the long road back that you have had from all those injuries and just sort of overwhelmed you?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yes, of course. I have a lot of image in my head, and it’s coming like (indicating) like this, and it’s very — it’s very big. And, yeah, it’s a lot of emotion.
Q. When you had those injuries, was there ever a time when you thought of giving up, of not coming back, and that this day might not happen?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Sorry? Yes, not really, but, yes, sometime it was like, oh, it’s too tough. I don’t know if I will do it.
Q. Can you just talk briefly about obviously the semifinal and how you see a matchup with Nadal. How will you approach that?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I don’t know. Like every match before. I try to stay on this world and that’s it. I will do like every time I do before, to be relaxed on the court, and we will see what’s happened.
Q. Nadal is a different player from every other player.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yes, maybe, but he has two arms and two legs like me, so we will see on the court.
Q. Have you played Nadal before?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, one time.
Q. US Open?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: US Open.
Q. Youzhny is a player with a lot of big wins. He’s won against Nadal, won against Federer. Was it a sufficient match, and what was the approach for you before you went into the game?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: To the game? No, I know it will be a tough match. But I play better than last year, and I’m very confident in my game, so I will see. I will see after tomorrow.
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