Tsonga a good bet for Madrid
Jo-Wilfred Tsonga does a somersault after beating favourite Novak Djokovic in the final of the Thailand Open and getting his season back on track after inujury. He is an interesting bet for the Madrid Masters next week, at 19/1.
The hard-hitting Frenchman leapt from obscurity in January to reach the Melbourne final. This time he beat Djokovic in straight sets to became, interestingly, the ninth first-time winner on the ATP Tour this year.
The 23-year-old is second cousin to Newcastle’s Charlie N’Zogbia. He burst on to the scene when he humbled Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Richard Gasquet in Melbourne, but his season has since been blighted by injury, forcing him to miss the French Open and and Wimbledon. Bangkok was only his second tournament since his layoff for knee surgery.
He comes from a sporting family – his mother is French, his father from the Congo and a former international handball player and his younger brother has been picked for France’s national basketball development programme.
He now lives in Switzwerland.
JO Wilfried is number one in my book!!! What a humble man!! His mother and father can be proud of raising such a fine son!! Hope to see Jo Wilfried in South Africa next year!! A huge CONGRATULATIONS on winning the Paris Masters JO-Wilfried….so good to see a top athlete shed tears of joy!!