Jo-Wilfried Tsonga admits he is aware there will probably be something in the upcoming period but adds he is looking forward to giving his body a proper rest. Tsonga, 37, played the final tournament of his career at the French Open.
Tsonga, who turned professional in 2004, suffered a four-set defeat versus Casper Ruud in the French Open first round. Throughout his career, Tsonga battled various injuries and the last few years of his pro career were extremely challenging.
“I’m not really afraid of emptiness, obviously I’m aware that something will be missing in the coming months, but I’m also happy, it’s also a relief for me because the last few years have been very, very physically tough.
I’ve been playing tennis for 30 years, putting a strain on my joints and my body, so that’s also a relief,” Tsonga said, per We Love Tennis.
Tsonga: My goal was to inspire kids
Even though Tsonga never won a Grand Slam, he was one of the best and most beloved players from his generation.
“I always said one of my goals was to inspire kids, inspire other people. I hope I did that during my career. I have been inspired myself by other sportsmen and I know how you feel. I know how you feel when you are a fan of somebody or you admire somebody.
It’s a nice feeling,” Tsonga said. When Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were asked about Tsonga, both described him as one of the most charismatic players in tennis history. Tsonga enjoyed a great popularity throughout his career and was a fan favorite wherever he went.
“For me it was really important to be different. I was born different a little bit. I’ve always been a little bit different than others in France. For me, it [counts] really positively and trying to do things differently was for me something positive. I always try to go this way,” Tsonga explained.
