© 2012
Daily
Tennis News Wire -
Jo Wilfried Tsonga will try to go one step further
than last year by winning his first grass court title at
the AEGON Championships, 11-17 June, 2012.
Tsonga, the World No.6, thrilled the crowds at The
Queen’s Club last year with his big serve, diving
volleys and extravagant celebrations, and narrowly lost
out to Andy Murray in a pulsating three-set, Monday
final. After agreeing to play at the AEGON Championships
again, he said that the event last year was a turning
point for him. He went on to reach the semifinals at The
Championships, Wimbledon and reached the final of the
ATP World Tour Finals at the end of the year.
“I had an incredible year in 2011, and it all started
there (at the AEGON Championships),” said Tsonga. “For
me it is really nice, the organizers are very friendly
with me, I like the crowd, and it was a really good
atmosphere in the final. I beat Lleyton Hewitt there in
2007 to get into the Top 100 for the first time and
that’s where I started to do my celebration like this
(he demonstrates his jumping celebration with two thumbs
pointing to his back).”
Can he go all the way at the AEGON Championships this
time, and also at Wimbledon two weeks later?
“I know that I can beat everybody on grass, so why not?”
he said. “I know on grass that I am a good player. I go
to the net and I serve well.”
Murray, who fought back to beat Tsonga 3-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4
in last year’s final and has already confirmed his
participation at the AEGON Championships this year, paid
tribute to the Frenchman shortly after defeating him in
the final.
"Jo was playing a different sport to me in the first two
sets, I have never seen anyone dive so much," said
Murray. "He is so much fun to watch but not much fun to
play against!”.


