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Biofile: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Interview
7 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
By Scoop Malinowski
Status: ATP tennis player has won 18 career ATP singles titles.
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 185
DOB: April 17, 1985 In: Le Mans, France
Tennis Inspirations: A lot of guys. I try to take something from every player – Agassi, Sampras, Rafter.
Hobbies/Interests: I have lots of hobbies. I like life so, maybe my best hobby is fishing. I like music, being with my friends.
Favorite Movies: Lord of the Rings.
Favorite TV Shows: Don’t watch TV too much, so.
Musical Tastes: Everything.
Last Book Read: DaVinci Code.
First Tennis Memory: Final, Davis Cup, between Sweden and France. I watched it on TV. I remember the last match, it was (Nicklas) Kulti against (Arnaud) Boetsch and it was unbelievable. Both players finished with cramps. It was unbelievable.
Favorite Meal: Meal from Congo – it’s like chicken with peanut butter.
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Vanilla.
Pre-Match Feeling/Mindset: To think of my game. Visualize my game and how it’s gotta be.
Favorite Non-Tennis Sport To Watch: Basketball.
Greatest Sports Moment: Winning the Paris title in Bercy (d. Nalbandian). Also my victory in juniors at U.S. Open.
Most Painful Moment: My injury five years ago – my back. And I was out for two years.
Favorite Tournaments: U.S. Open. Because I won juniors. I like New York. People enjoy to watch us, so it’s good in New York.
Favorite Players To Watch Today: Maybe Nadal.
Closest Tennis Friends: Richard Gasquet, Gael Monfils, Marcos Baghdatis.
Funniest Players Encountered: For me, because he’s my friend, it’s Gael Monfils. I’ve known him since we are kids. (What is it about him?) There is a lot of expression to his face [smiles]. So, for me, it’s funny. But maybe for someone else it’s not funny.
Toughest Competitor Encountered: Federer.
Funny Memory: Against Ancic in Bercy. Because I serve a big serve and he put his racquet out and the racquet broke at the middle of the racquet. So, for me, it was funny because I serve a big serve and he was like this – with a broke racquet. I think he broke the racquet before he play with it. When he hit the ball it go BOOM!
Last Vacation: Was in France, La Baule.
Best You Ever Felt on Court: Winning Paris (indoors in 2008). Australian Open final. Beijing (2012) against Feliciano Lopez. Everything I did on the court it was easy (61 41 ret, Tsonga leads Lopez 6-0 in head to head series).
People Qualities Most Admired: Generous.
Check out more Biofiles at www.mrbiofile.com
adidas · Bercy · Jo-Wilfried Tsonga · Paris · Roland Garros
Scoop Malinowski · June 30, 2011 at 3:06 am
Nobody shows such pure joy on the court as Jo Tsonga. When he plays his best tennis, no one can touch him. Never forget how he smoked Nadal in Australia, and today he got Federer from two sets down. Tennis at it’s best. He plays tennis like Ali and Tyson boxed. I think he looks more like a morph of Ali AND Tyson than Ali.
Michael · June 30, 2011 at 5:33 am
Nobody shows such pure joy on the court as Jo Tsonga.
I thought you liked Mr. D. Brown for that title ?
“When he plays his best tennis, no one can touch him.”
Gimme a break. The list of guys that can touch him (and beat him) when both are playing well consist of all the top players of which he isn’t one.
Scoop Malinowski · June 30, 2011 at 1:48 pm
Dustin Brown is up there in the joyous competitor category but we haven’t been able to see enough of his big wins so he can really express his joy. Other joyous players are Schiavone, Noah, Guga, Serena, Venus.
I disagree on point two Michael. When Tsonga is running on all cylinders, like he was yesterday, which is unfortunately not a common occurence, he looks impossible to beat. Ask Rafa about the loss in Australia.
Dan Markowitz · June 30, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Tsonga looks very tough right now and is brimming with confidence and self-belief. But let’s see how he does against Djoko who might give–as I think–Tsonga a clinic by nailing him to the baseline. Fed leaves balls short, didn’t make adjustments in returning serve and got down quickly and gave a half-hearted effort. I don’t think you’ll see Djoko concede as easily to Tsonga.
Scoop Malinowski · June 30, 2011 at 3:33 pm
Tsonga leads Djokovic 5-2 in the head to head, didn’t PMac say that yesterday?
Dan Markowitz · June 30, 2011 at 5:36 pm
Yes, it’s 5-2 Tsonga. But the only three matches of consequence in my mind, the two Aussie Open matches and the Miami match, Djokovic has a 2-1 lead. Tsonga did beat Novak in 2010 AO in five sets, but Djoko beat Jo in 2008 AO finals in four and straight sets in 2009 Miami. All the rest are minor tournaments or indoor hard court.
And we all know those matches were before Djoko broke out in the middle of last year. He’s a different player now, much better, better able to handle the heat in many ways. We’ll find out if Tsonga is different tomorrow.
Michael · July 3, 2011 at 5:44 am
“Ask Rafa about the loss in Australia.”
Rafa has always been subject to being hit off a hard court. Blake used to be able to do it. Berdych has done it I think. DelPo did it in very impressive fashion in 2009. Nothing special about Tsonga’s ability to do it once.