Mercurial Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga’s career has, let’s say, been up and down. From the highs of reaching the Australian Open final seven years ago, to the lows of the numerous injuries that have plagued the 30-year-old’s career, Tsonga’s only real constant is his entertaining style that can electrify the crowd.
One of the more popular players on the ATP world tour, people are clamouring for the Frenchman to break the glass ceiling and achieve what so few have- Win a Grand Slam title.
He did come close in Melbourne all those years ago. A stunning display of attacking tennis against Rafael Nadal in the semifinals of the Australian Open in 2008 introduced the world to the man nicknamed ‘Ali’, but when it came to Novak Djokovic in the final, he fell short.
He has never been able to hit those heights since in a Grand Slam tournament. Semifinals at Wimbledon in 2011 and 2012, and at Roland Garros this year and 2013 is the best Tsonga has managed since Australian Open run.
However, New York has never proved to be a happy hunting ground for the 30 year old. In fact it is the only Grand Slam where he has failed to make the semifinals. It is odd given the quicker nature of the courts suit the Frenchman’s aggressive style of tennis. Is there a problem, or is it just bad luck?
If the first four rounds of this year’s edition have been any indicator, Tsonga can certainly ‘go’ on these courts. No sets dropped en route to the quarter finals and he remains unbroken. Neither Jarkko Nieminen, Marcel Granollers, Sergiy Stakhovsky, nor compatriot Benoit Paire managed to make inroads on the Tsonga serve. So why is it he has struggled here?
Looking back through his record you can see the problem. Last year he drew Andy Murray in the fourth round. The year before he missed the tournament due to injury. In 2012 he was injured prior to the tournament and lost in the second round to Martin Klizan. 2011 was his only previous quarterfinal appearance and he lost to Roger Federer. He was injured for the 2010 edition, and in 2009 (perhaps the most disappointing) he lost to Fernando Gonzalez in the fourth round. ’07 and ’08 he made round three.
But for once he is fit and healthy and the draw has been kind to him at the same time. Now maybe the chance for Tsonga to complete the career Grand Slam semifinal.
Defending champion Marin Cilic is the next test for the 19th seed, and undoubtedly the biggest. The Croatian was an unstoppable machine from the quarterfinals onwards last year, destroying everyone in his path to claim his maiden Grand Slam title. He has not hit those heights this year, often needing four or five sets to defeat his opponents.
Tsonga will see this as his best chance to make the semifinals at Flushing Meadows. He has been one of the best players in the tournament thus far (only Federer joins him in the no sets dropped club) and faces a player he will fancy his chances of beating in the quarter finals.
But do not be fooled in to thinking that ‘Ali’ will settle for a semifinal berth. His ambitions are high, and in an era where Cilic and Wawrinka have claimed major victories, Tsonga will be looking to add his name to that list.
Djokovic will likely await in the semifinals, and yes the world #1 will be a huge favourite should that clash come to fruition. The Serbian is the man to beat and given Tsonga’s tendencies to freeze in the moment in Grand Slam semifinals, the odds will be firmly stacked against the Frenchman. But maybe that is the way he likes it?
A no pressure environment will allow Tsonga to swing freely, and if his serve is clicking he could prove very tough to deal with. But let’s just look at it one step at a time.
Now you may have read this and thought to yourself, “Well if he is that good, how come he has not won a Grand Slam already?” And you would be right to think that.
Despite his explosiveness on the serve and forehand wing, his backhand is easily exposed by the top players, and when he has gone deep in grand slams he has fallen flat mentally more often than not.
Having said that we all know what he is capable of, and hey, if Cilic and Wawrinka can do it, why can’t Tsonga?
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