To celebrate his return to the circuit after more than a year of absence, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had inherited a beautiful poisoned gift.
Le Manceau, 66th in the world thanks to a ranking frozen by the Covid-19 and who will be 36 years old in two months, was beaten on Monday as soon as he entered the competition at the Open Sud de France in Montpellier by Sebastian Korda, 20 years old and number 92 at ATP (6-4, 6-2 in 1h12).
Son of the former Czech champion Petr Korda, bullied by Andre Agassi, the American, in full rise, has now won ten of his eleven games played this year and will face the Italian Sonego in the second round.
“It was very special,” Korda smiles.
Since I was little I have watched Jo's matches.
It was really not easy for him after thirteen months of absence.
Glad to see him again and hope he can really come back.
"
🎾 #OSDF For his comeback to competition after 398 days of absence, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was eliminated from @ OpenSuddeFrance in the first round against the American Sébastian #Korda (4-6, 2-6).
pic.twitter.com/BVNRhkDyU5
- viàOccitanie (@viaOccitanieTV) February 22, 2021
In an arena totally deserted due to health restrictions, the former world No. 5, relieved of ten kilos, resisted for eight games before bowing down in front of the eighth finalist of the last Roland Garros.
Thierry Ascione's protégé showed some good intentions, especially on his big fetish forehands, without having the weapons, the mobility or the physical resistance to stand up to his young opponent.
But the essential is elsewhere.
Tsonga, whose last victory dates back to November 2019 (6-2, 6-1 against the Japanese Uchiyama in the Davis Cup (new formula), has finally become a tennis player again.
Next meeting in Marseille
Without ever wanting to retire, the former French leader, last Blue finalist in a Grand Slam (Australia 2008), nevertheless thought of his body defending that his last hour on the courts had come in 2020 because of pain. irreversible backbones that now punctuate his daily life.
“But there is no question of stopping, he explained in the fall of 2020 after having given up on Roland-Garros.
I will do anything so that it does not end like this.
In my career, there have been many times when I could have given up, where I could not have believed it, where I could have been able to do many things.
Each time, I wanted to believe in the impossible and in the end I was a little right… ”The winner of two Masters 1000 (Bercy 2008 and Toronto 2014) has two short weeks ahead of him to prepare for the Open 13 in Marseille .
And before definitely swapping the polo shirt for a businessman's outfit, he seems to be giving himself the means to keep his future at the end of his right hand ...