Joe-Wilfried Tsonga announces retirement after Roland-Carros

Former World No. 5 and longest No. 1 French tennis player Joe-Wilfried Tsonga announced Wednesday, April 6th. Video posted on social media, He will retire in 2022 after the Roland-Carros match. He will be 37 years old then.

“A few weeks ago I decided I was going to stop at Roland this year. It’s going to be my 15th^e RolandThe player explained, retreating to 220^e World ranking and suffering from injuries for four years.

Today I am passionately announcing my decision to end my career https://t.co/wKVzmQIfpL

– Tsonga 7 (@ Joe-Wilfried Tsonga)

“What a flow [quel parcours] ! Thanks for everything, Joe! ⁇ATP (Tennis Professionals Association) On Twitter. The French Tennis Federation, for its part, Given “Last time we met together at Roland-Carros”.

“My Talents Are No More Than Me”

“It took me a long time to make this decision. Every day for many years, I would say, ‘What am I doing, why is it bothering me like this, is there any more reason for me to make this effort?’He describes Manso as comfortably installed on a sofa, with his wife by his side.

My head tells me, “You can play for the rest of your life”, but the body reminds me that my abilities that surpass me are no longer there. My body tells me “you can not go any further than I give you”. I used to do the same thing every day.

“The ultimate reason is to tell me, this is the last thrill”He underlines the reference to Roland-Carros.

In 2008, an unknown 22-year-old child miracle

By then I hope I am in good shape and can be as good as ever in this match. The goal is to be tennis player Joe-Wilfried Tsonga Nana. I always wanted to be talented, to set myself goals overhead. This will be an opportunity to do it one last time.

As for Tsonga, it all started in Melbourne. In January 2008, the unknown 22-year-old changed everything in his path to reach the final of the Australian Open. “I’m not in my world. I was just passing out of those 300 people^e In front of 15,000 people, let’s give the guy there a small loaf of bread to eat! ⁇The Frenchman will remember many years later.

Nevertheless, this son of a former handball player and teacher of Congolese descent made an impact: he fired Andy Murray (9).^e) But Rafael Nadal in particular, the world No. 2 and Roland-Karos three-time winner, lost three sets in the semifinals.

Seasoned points due to injuries

Only Novak Djokovic will stop him. Armed with his devastating service and forehand, Tsonga won his first title in Bangkok and then his first Masters 1000 in Persia. At the end of 2008, it was 6^e Global.

But the shadow of the wounds is hidden. That spring, Colossus (1.88m, 91kg) underwent knee surgery, several months away from the courts. A scene that will haunt him for almost a lifetime, beginning with the many physical ailments of his youth.

In recent years, his body has given him almost no rest: in addition to the underlying sickle cell disease – a genetic disease that affects red blood cells and causes great fatigue – he suffered from knee, spine, and sacroiliac joints, which forced him. Leave at 1 p.m.^{There is} Round of the Australian Open in 2020.

He then started the 2021 season only at points, ending in February at Montpellier, before ending in defeat at 1^{There is} Round at Wimbledon. Tsonga returned to the competition this year with the idea of “The plan [sa] Exit “He was referring to Agence France-Presse, just before the Open 13 in Marseille in February.