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 semi-finals at The Championships, Wimbledon and reached the final of the Barclays 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 organisers 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!”.
The AEGON Championships will be broadcast live, every day from 11th-17th June, on BBC Television and Eurosport.
