Coming off a strong 2011 that saw Jo-Wilfried Tsonga earn the right to compete for the first time since 2008 in the World Tour Finals, there are high expectations for him to have a great 2012, and perhaps win his first Grand Slam title.
His first shot at an elusive Slam title went by the wayside yesterday at the Australian Open, falling in the 4th round to No. 24 seed Kei Nishikori. Tsonga came into the tournament fresh off his title run at Doha and seemed to be in top form during the first week in Melbourne.
But the Frenchman struggled on Hisense Arena against the top-ranked Japanese player, seeming to battle not only the talented young Nishikori but also the heat. Tsonga started quickly, taking the first set 6-2, but was obviously struggling in the hot conditions throughout the second and third sets, which Nishikori won easily. Tsonga, ranked No. 6 n the world, fought back in the fourth set and forced a fifth, but he was obviously running out of gas and growing increasingly frustrated with his inability to end points quickly.
“It was tough,” Tsonga said after the match. “I had a good opponent today. I didn’t play good tennis and I didn’t control everything. It was not a nice moment for me.”
Tsonga added another thought on Nishikori. “He’s tough to play because he runs a lot and everything comes back.”
Since making a run to the Australian Open final in 2008, Tsonga has been inconsistent in Slams, making just two other semi-final appearances, and has yet to return to a final. In April, Tsonga parted ways with long-time coach Eric Winogradsky, and has since played without a coach. Some see this as a distinct disadvantage, but Tsonga remains confident in his ability to reach the highest levels of the game.
“You can improve your game by yourself also. I’m here maybe because I had a coach,” Tsonga said the other day after easily dispatching Portuguese qualifier Frederico Gil in the 3rd round. “But now I feel like I have to follow my opinion maybe a little more.”
Tsonga clearly has all the tools to be a consistently elite player and win at least one Grand Slam title, if not several. The tennis world is waiting for him to deliver a big-time match on the biggest stage. But what we saw Monday in Melbourne won’t be enough to get the job done. And what we’ve seen at the back end of Slams in the past several years won’t get it done either. Whether it’s time to re-evaluate the wisdom of “flying solo” is a question best left for Tsonga to answer, but it is a question he must address.
If Tsonga is someday able to harness the best aspects of his game, physically and mentally, and put them together over a two week period, he will be a Grand Slam champion. His talent is that big.
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