His relief could not be overlooked: Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga celebrated his first victory since February 2018 at the ATP tournament in Antwerp. The 33-year-old, who had been out for a long time due to a knee operation, will start as defending champion at the “European Open” in Belgium.
Tsonga experienced a real rollercoaster ride of emotions against Guido Pella from Argentina at 7:5, 5:7, 7:6 (7:5). After almost 2:18 hours, the crowd favourite from Le Mans converted his second match point. It was for Tsonga, only number 75 in the ATP ranking, the first victory since the beginning of February.
After a knee operation and a break of more than seven months, the 2008 Australian Open finalist did not return to Metz until mid-September, but lost to Munich-based Peter Gojowczyk in the opening match.
For Tsonga, who will now face either his compatriot Gael Monfils or local hero Ruben Bemelmans in the round of 16, it is only the fourth tournament in 2018 after the Australian Open, Montpellier and Metz.
Against the world rankings-65. Pella, Tsonga managed twelve aces among others, his serve the experienced once gave away. But the Frenchman, once number five in the tennis universe, is under pressure. In Antwerp he has 250 winning points to defend from 2017 – and at the following tournament in 500er-Event in Vienna Tsonga had reached the final last season.