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Former ATP world number five Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at Australian Open
ATP Tennis Players, Tennis News

‘We are not motivated, there is no fun’, says Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on tennis during Covid-19


Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has described how different playing tennis with Covid-19 restrictions is after returning to the ATP Tour.

Since being forced to retire during his first round match at the 2020 Australian Open, injuries and a left knee surgery kept the world No. 66 from competing for over a year.

The 2008 Australian Open finalist returned to the circuit in Montpellier last month – where he fell to Sebastian Korda in the opening round.

Tsonga then earned his first win since 2019 by beating Feliciano Lopez in three sets in the Marseille first round on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old lost to 22-year-old fellow Frenchman Ugo Humbert in straight sets in the second round of the ATP 250 event.

“It’s a different atmosphere, you can’t raise your arms to greet the crowd when you step on the court,” said Tsonga after that defeat to the world No. 31.

“We do Covid tests every 3-4 days. We cannot go to the restaurant to relax. We are not motivated, there is no fun.”

Tsonga became the second player to complain about the current conditions this week after his compatriot Benoit Paire labelled the circuit “sad, boring and ridiculous.”

The two-time Masters 1000 winner will next feature at the ATP 500 tournament in Dubai next week.


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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.