ATP: No French Open for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Sad news for all French tennis fans: audience favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is still not fit after his meniscus injury – and cancels his home game in Paris.

The 33-year-old announced his retirement for Roland Garros on Monday via Twitter. “Despite all attempts to return quickly, I have to cancel the Lyon tournament and Roland Garros,” wrote Tsonga. Last year he had won the premiere of Lyon, in Paris he reached the semi-finals in 2013 and 2015.

He worked hard to get back to 100 percent, Tsonga explained and announced an early return. Nevertheless, he wants to travel to his cancelled tournaments – to Lyon as ambassador, to Paris as spectator.

Tsonga injured his meniscus in Montpellier in February and initially wanted to avoid surgery. “When I tried to play again, my knee didn’t react positively,” he announced in early April. Back then with the aim of returning to sand.