Nicknamed "Ali"...Father, Didier, is a former handball player (European handball) and chemistry teacher; mother, Evelyne, is a teacher; younger brother, Enzo, is a business student...Says he got strength from his father and kindness from his mother...His parents still live in Le Mans where his father went to study and where he met his mother who lived there (Le Mans is located in west of France and famous (at least in France) for two things: 1) 24 hours of Le Mans, an endurance car race; 2) les Rillettes (pronouce: "Reeyett" a "pork meat paté").
Finished 2003 as No. 2 junior in world (behind Baghdatis)…Reached SF at Australian Open juniors in 2002-03 along with Roland Garros and Wimbledon in '03...Won US Open junior title (d. Baghdatis)…Won first career junior title at 2002 Canadian Open (d. Bayer) and runner-up at Victorian Junior Championships that year (l. to Gasquet)…Also won title at 2003 Luxembourg Indoor Junior Championships...Named 2007 ATP Newcomer of Year and 2008 ATP Most Improved Player of Year...The BNP Paribas Masters final in Paris against Nalbandian was second highest audience on French TV Canal+ in 2008 for a Sunday sports program, peaking at 1.3 million viewers on match point...In 2011 was presented with the ATP Aces for Charity grant for his foundation “Attrap’ La Balle”, which provides underprivileged children in Congo with access to sports activities.
Tsonga DEUCE Feature (May. 2008)
Tsonga DEUCE Feature (Jan. 2009)
Tsonga DEUCE Feature (May 2011)
2012 -- The top Frenchman finished in Top 10 for 4th time in 5 years with 2-2 record in finals and career-high tying 55 match wins (’11). Reached QF or better in 15 tournaments, including 5 at ATP Masters 1000 events...1st Frenchman to rank Top 10 back-to-back since Noah (‘82-87)...Won titles in Doha (d. Monfils) and Metz (d. Seppi). Finalist in Beijing (l. to Djokovic) and Stockholm (l. to Berdych)...In Grand Slam play was 13-4 with SF at Wimbledon (l. to Murray) and 1st QF at Roland Garros (l. to Djokovic)...At London Olympics, QF in singles (d. Raonic 25-23 in 3rd set in 2R, longest set in Olympics singles history). Won doubles silver medal w/Llodra (l. to Bryan brothers)...Finished No. 6 in aces (653), No. 9 in service games won (86%)...Compiled records of 36-16 on hard (13-7 indoor), 10-6 on clay and 9-3 on grass. Just 1-15 against Top 10 (lone win vs. del Potro) after 10-13 record in ‘11...
2011 -- The top-ranked French player finished in Top 10 for 3rd time in 4 years and qualified for Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London (l. to Federer in final)…Won 2 titles in Metz (d. Ljubicic) and Vienna (d. del Potro) and runner-up in Rotterdam (l. to Soderling), Queen’s Club in London (l. to Murray) and Paris (l. to Federer)...Advanced to Wimbledon SF (d. No. 6 Ferrer, No. 3 Federer in QF from 0-2 sets down, l. to Djokovic)…In next outing in Montréal reached SF (d. Federer again in QF, l. to Djokovic) and at US Open, reached QF (d. Fish, l. to Federer)...Played in Davis Cup SF vs. Spain and lost to Nadal in 4th rubber after winning doubles...Won 50-plus matches for 2nd time (53 wins in ‘09)…Went 10-13 vs. Top 10 opponents with win over No. 1 Nadal at Queen’s and compiled marks of 38-15 on hard, 10-3 on grass and 7-6 on clay (20-6 indoors)...
2010 -- The No. 2 Frenchman (behind No. 12 Monfils) finished in Top 15 for third straight year, highlighted by three SFs -- Australian Open (d. Djokovic in QF, l. to Federer), Marseille (l. to Benneteau) and Montpellier (l. to Monfils)… Reached QFs five other times…In Roland Garros 4th RD, ret. vs. Youzhny w/right hip injury…Sidelined for three months with left knee patella tear…Returned to action in October…Played four events (5-4 mark) and closed with SF in Montpellier…Compiled marks of 19-10 on hard, 8-5 on clay and 4-1 on grass.
2009 -- The top Frenchman finished in Top 10 for second straight year, captured a personal-best three ATP World Tour titles and career-high 53 match wins…Became first Frenchman to finish in Top 10 in back-to-back years since Yannick Noah from1985-87…Overall he reached QF or better in 12 tournaments…Compiled a 19-3 in first six events, winning third and fourth ATP World Tour titles of career at Johannesburg (d. Chardy) and Marseille (d. Llodra) and four QF finishes at Brisbane (l. to Gasquet), Sydney (w/o to Nieminen w/back injury), Australian Open (l. to Verdasco) and Rotterdam (l. to Nadal)…After failing to defend runner-up points from ‘08 Australian Open, fell from No. 7 to No. 14 on February 2 (would spend almost three months outside Top 10 before returning at end of April)…
In next 11 events, reached QF or better twice, at Miami* (l. to Djokovic in QF) and Montreal* (l. to Murray in SF after beating Federer down 1-5 in third set)…Had nine pre-QF exits, incl. all three Grand Slams in that period, at Roland Garros (l. to del Potro in 4th), Wimbledon (l. to Karlovic in 3rd) and US Open (l. to Gonzalez in 4th)…In October he reached SFs in Bangkok (l. to Troicki) and captured his third ATP World Tour title in Tokyo (d. Youzhny)…Served as alternate at Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London…Went 5-5 vs. Top 10 opponents and compiled marks of 41-14 on hard, 8-4 on clay and 2-2 on grass…Also co-leader (w/Roddick) with a personal-best 33 tie-break sets won (33-17)…In doubles, earned titles in Brisbane (w/Gicquel) and Shanghai* (w/Benneteau).
2008 -- The top Frenchman broke into Top 10 with two titles, including maiden AMS shield in Paris...Qualified for Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai with Paris title and broke into Top 10 for first time at No. 7 from No. 14...Along with Simon, it was first time two Frenchmen finished in Top 10 since 1986 with No. 4 Yannick Noah and No. 6 Henri Leconte... Reached SF in Adelaide (d. Hewitt, l. to Nieminen) before first career final at Australian Open, defeating No. 9 Murray (1st Rd.), No. 8 Gasquet (4th Rd.) and No. 2 Nadal (SF) before falling in four sets to No. 3 Djokovic...Afterwards, climbed from No. 38 to No. 18...In February, made Davis Cup debut against Romania...In May, advanced to SF in Casablanca, but withdrew prior to match (vs. Simon) with right knee injury that kept him out for three months following surgery on May 27...Upon return, went 16-4 in six tournaments, advancing to 3rd RD at US Open (l. to Robredo), winning his first ATP title in Bangkok (d. Djokovic) and reaching 3rd RD in Tokyo and AMS Madrid (l. to Federer)... Closed with SF in Lyon (l. to Benneteau) and title run at AMS Paris where he beat three Top 10 opponents -- No. 3 Djokovic (3rd RD), No. 7 Roddick (QF) and No. 8 Nalbandian (F) -- and fired a career high 25 aces in final...Also defeated No. 11 Blake in SF...Was 8-5 vs. Top 10 opponents with three losses coming to top trio of Nadal, Federer and Djokovic (did beat Djokovic three times during year)...Won 20 more matches than previous season, best among Top 10...Compiled marks of 27-11 on hard and 4-2 on clay.
2007 -- Finished in Top 50 for first time at No. 43 with consistent results in ATP and Challenger level play...Put together a 14-10 mark in ATP tournaments and 24-5 in Challengers with four titles...Opened season with four-sets loss to No. 7 Roddick in 1st RD at Australian Open and won first set in a 20-18 tie-break (longest in tournament history)...In March, captured France Futures #5 title (d. Juska) and two weeks later won Tallahassee (Fla.) Challenger title (d. De Voest)...In three of his next four tournaments between April-June, won titles in Mexico City (d. Echagaray), Lanzarote (d. Baccanello), Spain, and Surbiton (d. Karlovic)...At Queen's, lost in 3rd RD with wins over Pless and No. 16 Hewitt (l. to Cilic)...Continued grass success at Wimbledon where he won in straight sets over Benneteau, Lapentti and Lopez before falling to countryman Gasquet in 4th RD...At US Open, beat Hernandez and Henman (in Briton's last match), then lost to Nadal in 3rd RD...Finished season with solid results in his native country with QF in Metz (l. to Murray), SF in Lyon (d. No. 11 Gasquet, l. to Grosjean) and 2nd RD at AMS Paris (l. to Gasquet)...Also won first ATP doubles title in Lyon (w/Grosjean)...Went 0-3 vs. Top 10 opponents and compiled marks of 6-7 on hard, 5-2 on grass and 3-1 on carpet.
2006 -- Limited to eight tournaments due to reoccuring back and abdominal problems...Sidelined from May to mid-September...Compiled a 19-1 record in Futures, winning three titles in four finals...Also won Rennes Challenger title (d. Summerer) and reached final at Lanzarote Challenger (l. to Prpic).
2005 -- Only played eight tournaments...Missed five months from November 2004 to March '05 with a herniated disc, then suffered two injuries to his right shoulder later in year...Also sidelined with back and abdominal injuries from October to February '06...In between injuries, won Leon Challenger title (d. Weiner) in April and France #17 Futures (d. Popp) in October... Received a wild card into Roland Garros (l. to Roddick)...
2004 -- Improved over 200 ranking positions with 18-7 record in Challenger play and two titles (11-9 in Futures)...Earned win in his first ATP event in Beijing, defeating No. 5 Moya (l. to Lee)...Made AMS debut in Paris and defeated Ancic before losing to Canas...Fired third fastest serve on ATP circuit for year, 144 mph (232 KmH) in Paris...Won Futures titles at Spain #11 in May and claimed Challenger titles at Nottingham (d. Bogdanovic) and Togliatti (d. Svarc)...
2003 -- Went 19-12 in Futures events, reaching his first Futures final and SF at three other events...Played three Challenger events, reached 2nd RD at all three...Finalist at Germany Futures (w/Roger-Vasselin)...
2002 -- Reached five SF in 11 Futures events...Compiled a 19-11 Futures record...
2001 -- As a 16-year-old, reached SF at France Futures #15...
2013
The Frenchman fell in the Australian Open QFs to Federer in five sets…Represented France in 5-0 Israel in Davis Cup World Group 1R, beating Weintraub in four sets…
On 22 February, saved 5 M.P. versus Tomic in Marseille QFs to win 76(10) in 3rd set…On 24 February, Tsonga became the first player to win an ATP World Tour title saving match point(s) in two different matches during the same tournament since Sam Querrey in Los Angeles in 2010…In the Marseille final, saved 1 M.P. at 5-6 in 2nd set TB, by hitting back-to-back aces and went onto win 64 in 3rd set to add to his 2009 trophy…Is also the eighth different player in Top 10 to win an ATP World Tour title this season…
Fell in the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells QFs (l. to Djokovic)…Fell in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami 4R (l. to Cilic)…Won two singles rubbers (d. Berlocq, Monaco) for France versus Argentina in Davis Cup QFs…
Fell in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo SFs (l. to Nadal)…Dropped to 2-3 in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 SFs and to 0-8 against Top 5 opponents on clay…Fell to 4-12 in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 QFs after losing to Wawrinka at Madrid…Fell in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome 2R (l. to Janowicz)…
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