[Keijan]

Thanks Tori

Tsonga has been receiving racist hate mail. "I get some letters from a lot of people. Sometimes it's nice, with letters from kids or from parents of kids who want to be tennis players, but I also get racist letters," Tsonga told Telegraph Sport. "It's really painful to receive something like that because you're not ready for that. You think to yourself, 'That's really bad'. But I realise that there are people like that."

I can't believe those people still exist... I'm not sure if there is something more despisable than hating or judging someone over the colour of his skin. Get a life instead of writing stupid letters...

[Turquoise]

Unfortunately, there will always be ignorant, racist people who cannot look beyond a person's skin colour. Their hate mail belongs in the trash and not worthy of any consideration.

Jo is human and is obviously affected by such disgusting behaviour, but he's learned to look beyond that and see the many others like us who appreciate him based on merit, what he's achieved and what he is as a person. Be strong, Jo and we will lift you up through your trials and tribulations.

[MsTree]

Jo's getting a fair few articles about him in the English papers... not sure if there's anything new here but here it is anyway

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ten...boys-SW19.html

Tsonga aiming to muscle in with the big boys down at SW19

By Alex Kay Last updated at 4:50 PM on 18th June 2009

At 6ft 2in, packed full of muscle and with a mighty serve, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is just the type of player you would have expected to have made a mark at Wimbledon by now.

The world No 9 from France has all the attributes for a great fortnight at the All England Club but, until this year, he has not really been in a position to mount a sneaky challenge for the title.

Next week will only be 24-year-old Tsonga's second appearance at Wimbledon, as the 2008 Australian Open runner-up broke into the top of the game late on and was then ruled out of appearing at SW19 last year through injury.

Tsonga's only appearance at Wimbledon came in 2007 when, as a wildcard ranked 112 in the world, he rocketed his way through to the fourth round.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Gunning for glory: Powerhouse Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

What has happened since then is predictable to those who watched him as an outstanding junior. Beating Andy Murray on the way, Tsonga reached the Australian Open final a year later from under the radar, eventually losing to Novak Djokovic.

He has since gone on to win four tour titles and is excited about the first Wimbledon he'll playing as an established top 10 player.

'Yeah, I am excited. My first one was two years ago but this is my first as a top player,' he said. 'Two years ago I did well, I lost in the fourth round, so I know what to expect.

'For grass, you have to stay on your baseline more. It's not good if you go further back and you have to get into the net. I think it suits my game to be offensive, so it's natural.'
Tsonga

Confident: Tsonga

Tsonga has impressed on his return from injury this year and reached the last 16 at the French Open, going out to eventual semi-finalist Juan Martin Del Potro.

That was no mean achievement, seeing as he was only one of two Frenchmen to make the last 16 as the home players once again struggled in front of the demanding Parisian crowd.

But Tsonga think that complaints by players about the pressures of playing in front of your home crowd are nonsense, saying that he finds it easy to block out criticism.

'I think it's the same everywhere. You go on the court and you try to do your best – that's it,' he said. 'In France or anywhere else. The only person who can judge me is me, that's it.

'After a match, if I lose and I go stand in front of the mirror, I tell myself if I did a great job or not. When you lose it's tough because sometimes you lose when you play well.

'That's sport. If I lose and I played okay, that's no problem because I played well, I played my best tennis and the guy opposite me was better than me. Then sometimes I lose and I don't play well, I say '"okay, I'll work and do everything to do better next time".'

'Rafael Nadal's the champion but Roger Federer's won five times, he won the French this year and I think he's very confident. It's going to be tough to beat him this year. I think the French were happy to see Federer win the tournament in Paris because he lost three times in the final. Him winning was a good thing for everybody – for tennis, for the tournament, for history.'

And what of the British contender? Tsonga is certain that Murray has it in him to win and he should know, having played with him plenty of times on the junior circuit growing up.
Andy Murray

Main man: Andy Murray triumphed at Queen's last week

'Andy's playing well everywhere but he's better on quick surfaces than on a clay court,' he added. 'I think he's really dangerous on grass. I played with him a lot on grass when we were younger and he was very, very good.

'The best way for me to beat the top guys is to have a very good day. When I go on court, I don't have specific tactics – I just want to play my best tennis. If I do, I can beat everybody. Like I said, I'm very attacking and I go for everything. If I send down three aces per game, it's difficult for the other guy. So it's all about me.'

What would be a successful tournament for him then?

'If I get to the semis, it's a good result for me. But if I get to the semis, I'll want to be in the final and to win it.'

Confident talk from Tsonga and the sort that will surely make him a Grand Slam champion eventually. This Wimbledon might come a bit soon for him but don't be surprised if he ruffles a few feathers.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was talking at the Boodles Challenge at Stoke Park. For more information, go to www.theboodles.com

[Bashak]

Awful news about the racist hate mail... I mean it's one thing to shout racist remarks in a football match which happens on occasion in europe but a totally different thing to actually sit down and take time to write a racist letter and mail it. What kind of satisfaction these people get is beyond my comprehension. I guess some people are just stupid enough to bother to do something like that. They should be ignored.

Little french article in L'équipe:

http://www.lequipe.fr/Tennis/breves2...de-tsonga.html

[reggie1]

I quite agree, what goes through these people's minds to actually sit down and write this sort of rubbish. I applaud Jo for standing up and being counted and saying he has to deal with crap like this. He shouldn't have to. Anyway, we all love you Jo and don't worry about mindless racist thugs like that.

[MacArthur]

An interview from Jo after his first match :

Golubev est un joueur talentueux donc je n'ai pas été surpris.Quand il est en confiance, il est très dangereux et il l'a prouvé aujourd'hui. Cela a été dur mais je suis content de m'en être sorti.
.
La différence ne s'est pas faite sur le niveau de jeu mais plutôt sur l'experience de ce type de situation. C'est toujours plus agréable de gagner un match comme cela après une vraie bataille mais je vais vite me concentrer sur le prochain tour. Je suis surpris de faire deux services volées, et une dizaine de points au filet, c'est étrange. J'ai envie de dire que les qualités qui faisaient de moi un bon joueur de gazon comme on l'entendait par le passé n'existent plus. Il va donc y avoir des joueurs qui vont réaliser des bonnes performances ici cette année et qui j'en suis sur ne l'auraient pas fait par le passé, ou plus exactement il y a quelques années"

[Keijan]

Audio interview (french only)
http://www.fft.fr/wimbledon/2009/?id=5026

[MacArthur]

A brief translation :

Golubev is a very good player, so I wasn't surprised by his level. When he is confident, he is really dangerous and proved it today. It was tough and I am glad to be still in course today.

I made the difference more on my experience of that kind of situtation than by our level of play. It's always good to win that kind of match, after that kind of fight, but now I am going to have to focus fast on my next round. I am surprised to have only made two serve and volley and a tenfold of net points, it's strange. I want to say that the qualities that made me a good grass court player by the past are gone by now. There are going to be more and more players this year who are going to make a good run here, who wouldn't have done so well a few years back.


I am so agreeing with him. they are slowing so much the grass that it doesn't make anymore sense to play on it.

[Baseline Lob]

thanks for translation

[MacArthur]

I thought this interview was lol, so I share it with you, my fellow jojotards :

Q. Today was a walkover. What do you think? Are you shocked or were you prepared for it?
JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: No, I'm sad for him because he's maybe injured. I don't know what he had for the moment. But I'm happy to be at the third round. That's it.


Q. Does that shake your plans for Wimbledon?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: I think anyway it's good for me because I played a long match for the first round, and now I don't play for the second, so I will be ready for the third.


Q. Do you know that in Congo‑Kinshasa they are rooting for you? Are you aware?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, I know, of course.


Q. Have you been back since the last time you went to the Congo?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: No.


Q. Any plans to go back?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Not for the moment, but yeah, I will go there for sure.


Q. What does Wimbledon mean to you?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Wimbledon means a Grand Slam tournament, a tournament with a lot of history.


Q. What do you think of the significance of Federer for you? What's so special about Federer for you?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Maybe how he's relaxed on the court.


Q. You are from a family of sportsmen.

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, only my father, because my mother did nothing.


Q. And your brother?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: And my brother plays but my sister nothing.


Q. And your cousin is a sports person in New Castle?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: No, and I'm not originally from Congo‑Kinshasa. I'm from the other side of the river.


Q. So how did you get into sports, your family push you or you like to play?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: No, it was just natural. When I was a kid I was all the time outside of the house, and that's it.


Q. Is your family here with you now?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: My brother.


Blame the poor journalist

[Bashak]

Q. You are from a family of sportsmen.
JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, only my father, because my mother did nothing.
Q. And your brother?
JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: And my brother plays but my sister nothing.

this made me chuckle.

[Cloudygirl]

Q. Have you been back since the last time you went to the Congo?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: No.

well this made me chuckle stupidest question ever.

[Truc]

Indeed!

Just came across this:
Robin Soderling Answers Your Questions From Wimbledon
(...)
- Who are, in your opinion, the funniest players?
- Tsonga is a pretty funny guy.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Ten...A-Answers.aspx

[lilibel13]

Found on pure people website

Dans les pages de la nouvelle édition française du magazine Playboy, en kiosque aujourd'hui, le champion - véritable sosie du grand Mohamed Ali -, a accordé une longue interview dans laquelle il revient sur sa passion, ses envies et ses amours. Extraits.

"Ce qui m'a donné sans doute envie de faire ce que je fais aujourd'hui, c'est Arnaud Boetsch. Je l'ai découvert lors de la finale de la Coupe Davis, en 1996, à Malmö en Suède. J'avais onze ans et j'étais scotché devant la télé de mes parents, au Mans. Il a apporté le point décisif à la France pour gagner la Coupe Davis. Ça m'a procuré une émotion si forte que j'ai eu envie de vivre de tels moments".

Son ambition pour cette année ? "Mon objectif principal est de faire partie des cinq premiers mondiaux à l'issue de la saison. Pour cela, il faut bien jouer, gagner des tournois et être frais physiquement tout au long de la saison. Je vais donc plébisciter ma préparation et bien étudier mon programme pour ne pas trop jouer".

Comme tous les jeunes sportifs contemporains, il a souvent des écouteurs plantés dans les oreilles. Concernant ses goûts musicaux : "J'ai des goûts très éclectiques, donc isoler un genre n'est pas simple. En ce moment, dans mon MP3, on retrouve "Liberta" de Peps, "Sye Bwa" de Kassav, Kerry James, Justice, un peu de classique et du reggae. J'adore danser mais je ne suis pas très friand des boîtes de nuits car il y a vraiment trop de monde sur le dancefloor !"

Enfin, quant à sa vie privée : "J'adore les femmes, je les respecte et les trouve très courageuses. La simplicité, c'est ce que je préfère chez une femme. Le charme passe au-dessus de la plastique. Je suis encore un coeur à prendre, alors avis aux charmantes âmes célibataires ! Je n'ai heureusement jamais connu le cas d'une fan envahissante et franchement, j'espère ne jamais l'avoir... Je suis un hypra-dragueur romantique !"

Adam Ikx

Little translation, he tells it's Arnaud boetch who gives to him the passion of tennis at 11.
He wanted to be in the top 5
He is single , loves women especially simple women cause he is a romantic boy, and this ITW was gived at the ..french playboy!!!!!lool

[Keijan]

Quote:
Q. Have you been back since the last time you went to the Congo?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: No.

well this made me chuckle stupidest question ever.

I'm so very late, but I hadn't even noticed it before you quoted it and to Jo-Willy for keeping it short and not laughing in the face of the stupid journalist.



Thanks for the excerpt who is in to go through the humiliation of buying the next Playboy now ?


"Thankfully I never had to deal with an excessively intrusive fangirl"
That's because I didn't make my move yet