Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Presser: “Tonight I Can See Myself In The Mirror And Say, ‘Yeah, You Fight Enough'”

Although I wanted Roger to win, I felt sad about Tsonga’s loss. He had once in a life time opportunity and he could’nt make it. Frankly, Tsonga was playing below par and so was Federer in the first and second sets. While in the third, Federer recovered that magic to go one better. Tsonga should feel happy about this year where he has been so consistent. He should take a leaf out of this and look forward to 2012 where I think he has chances of winning one major either at the Australian or US Open.

November 27th, 2011 at 11:27 pm

“he was better than me in the first set. Also in the second set. You know, I think he played better than me in the first and second set, and also the third set”. This guy is seriously funny, as well as refreshingly honest. Not many people are so candid after they have lost a tight one. Not one ounce of self-pity, either – he reminds me of the old Aussies, you play a match, you win or you lose, and then you go and have a beer (or in Jo-Wilfred’s case, perhaps a wine).

Incidentally, I observed the late intrusion of Mayor Boris Johnson – which elicited some deserved boos, hopefully not just from Labour party supporters. It was intolerably patronising, imo. As if a game of tennis had irritatingly interrupted his dinner.

November 28th, 2011 at 7:56 am

I kind of disagree with Tsonga. I would say Tsonga played better overall in set one, but he had that one bad game where he was broken and Fed took the set. Then in set two, I would say it was fairly even throughout until Fed broke, but again, one bad game by Fed, Jo gets the break back, and then he gets the set in a topsy turvy tiebreak. Had Tsonga not had the bad game in set one, he might have won the match in straights. However, in set three, Fed was definitely the better player, serving better, and in most of Tsonga’s service games; it felt like just a matter of time until he would break.

November 28th, 2011 at 10:07 am

^ Ditto, Fed was close, very close in fact, to winning the match in straight sets, even though, arguably (don’t have stats etc) Tsonga played stronger tennis in set one.

November 28th, 2011 at 10:09 am

” Had Tsonga not had the bad game in set one, he might have won the match in straights. ”

And if the roof had fallen in, perhaps everyone would have died. That is true – but bordering on meaningless. You just cannot build a coherent story on conditionals. If, for example, Tsonga had won the first set, then the mindsets of both players would have been different to what they actually were. Any number of scenarios are then possible. To single out one of them is merely provocative.

November 28th, 2011 at 10:19 am

your second post (“ditto”) jane wasn’t up for some reason when I posted mine. But even so, it represents, in my view, a kind of spurious objectivity – like a tidying up afterthought.

Agreed on one thing – Federer was a little fortunate to take the first set. Tsonga must have had his reasons, would be interesting to know what they were.

November 28th, 2011 at 10:26 am

Nothing meant to be “spurious” about the second post grendel. But that’s your take on my perspective. Sheesh, you do think the worst of me and what I say don’t you? It’s just because this thread is on Tsonga’s presser so I was thinking of him and his take on the match. When I reread my post and thought more about it, which I don’t tend to do as much as I should on first blather, I realized what I said about Tsonga potentially winning in straights applied even (way) more so, obviously, to Fed, since he won the first set and was serving for the match in the second. Hence the addendum. Nothing fake in my intentions at all.

I don’t think my take on the match is that far off: Tsonga played a better first set, imo, and judging by the in-match comments of many posters, that’s the opinion of others as well; the second set was fairly even, favouring Fed as the better player, although quite “up and down” in its flow as Fed lost two leads (Fed break, Tsonga break back, tiebreak Fed 5-2, then Tsonga 8-6); and the third set, Fed played better, served better and returned better and was the deserved winner as such.

My main point was simply that while Tsonga says Fed played better in all 3 sets, I kind of disagree with him that it was so cut and dried, that’s all.

Anyhow I should probably say nothing.

November 28th, 2011 at 10:54 am

You make a good case, jane. Perhaps I am fighting old battles – whenever I used to make the slightest query on a Djokovic performance, you would jump in and correct me. Then again, maybe that too had a history….

November 28th, 2011 at 11:16 am

Well, we’re natural sensitve about our faves; I try to keep it in check, and maintain some semblance of balance, but were all walking on the incline in one way or another. Anyhow I respect your views and posts very much grendel, and so I guess I take it personally when you often disagree with me. I am not a player like many other smarter posters here; I just love the drama of it all. So I am sure I say way too much. Ugh. Must needs put a lid on it. Have a good day, anyhow.

November 28th, 2011 at 11:48 am

*naturally, not natural – *really* wish we had an edit button here.

November 28th, 2011 at 11:50 am

If Tsonga won the first……

Well Fed had something to do with Tsonga not wining that. Tsonga, amazingly, had his teeth in every serving game Fed served in the First set, whilst Tsonga was breezing through his service games. Fed hardly got any points in Tsonga’s service games.

All of the sudden in the heart of the first set with Tsonga serving, Fed goes 15-0 on Tsongas service game, for the very first time in the First set. Then, he never looked back and broke him. Phenomenal stuff.

November 28th, 2011 at 12:31 pm

^ jane read your post after I posted didn’t mean to jump on your post personally was just an observation ;(

November 28th, 2011 at 12:33 pm

No worries skeeze!! You’re right, it takes two to tango, and Fed took his chance when it was presented. Up until then, Tsonga’s serving was almost untouchable. And as grendel says, even if Tsonga won the first set, it might’ve made Fed even more determined to win the second. Fed was the deserved winner, and on the day I felt he’d come through in the end, as he is just steadier all around.

November 28th, 2011 at 12:49 pm

“I am not a player like many other smarter posters here; I just love the drama of it all. So I am sure I say way too much.”

But I understand that exactly. I can only say it is a privilege to be able to talk tennis with people, some of whom are accomplished players. As for you, jane, I think you must know that you can be a formidable sparring partner. Difficult to get past that defence, though I try, I try….

November 28th, 2011 at 4:10 pm