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JO-WILFRIED TSONGA
Tennis News

Tsonga in dreamland on eve of Masters Cup


Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the last man to clinch a spot in the Masters Cup field after winning in Paris, is still getting his head round his semi-charmed season.

“For me, it’s just amazing; it’s a dream,” said Tsonga, who plays fourth-ranked Nikolay Davydenko in Sunday’s second match.

The Frenchman, one of four Masters Cup debutants, has surged up the rankings despite missing three months recuperating from knee surgery – a break that ruled him out of the French Open and Wimbledon, but may have left him fresher at the end of the long tennis season.

“I haven’t lately found my rhythm – physically, I feel good” – Djokovic

“I feel great,” Tsonga said, “stronger than at the start of the year” when he reached the Australian Open final, losing to Novak Djokovic, who faces Juan Marin Del Potro to kick off the week’s tennis in Shanghai.

Djokovic, who lost all three of his matches here last year after playing a heavy schedule in his breakthrough season, believes he is in much better shape this year, even if his failure to reach the quarter-finals of his past two events suggests otherwise.

“I haven’t lately found my rhythm,” the Serb admitted. “Physically, I feel good.”

I don’t know how I’ll get through a honeymoon – how am I going to sit still for five days?” – Roddick

Andy Roddick also said he’s feeling fit, and while he’s looking forward to the off-season to get back in peak form, he’s not looking forward to having an empty-looking schedule. “I was just telling my fiancee I don’t know how I’ll get through a honeymoon,” Roddick, who faces Andy Murray on Monday, said. “How am I going to sit still for five days?”

The 26-year-old admitted that his thoughts have turned towards his future in the game, believing he has maybe about four years of competitive-level tennis left – and that he’ll miss it when he’s gone.

“My bad days still are pretty good in the scheme of things,” said the American, who is still looking for a new full-time coach after splitting ways with Jimmy Connors.


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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.