“Novak Djokovic proved again this year that the level at which he evolved has not yet been reached” – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Former French tennis player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga recently praised Novak Djokovic for his outstanding performance in the 2023 season.
Tsonga stayed active on the tour from 2004 until 2022. In February 2012, he achieved a career-high rating of World No. 5. He won 18 ATP championships during his career, including two in Masters 1000 tournaments.
Djokovic and Tsonga met on the court multiple times as the former’s career was shaping at the same time. The Serb went professional in 2003 and has dominated the men’s circuit ever since.
To date, the 36-year-old has won 24 Grand Slam championships, three of which have come in 2023. He just finished his 400th week as the top-ranked ATP player.
The Serb won his eighth year-end championship title when he defeated Italy’s Jannik Sinner in the final of the 2023 ATP Finals in Turin, Italy. Notably, a fan on social media begged Tsonga to choose between Djokovic and Sinner.
“I’m more from Djoko school because I’ve known him for a long time.” He is the most well-rounded player on the tour. He has the most firearms in his assets. “And he proved again this year that the level at which he evolved has yet to be reached,” the Frenchman wrote following the Serb’s Turin triumph.
Surprisingly, the 24-time Grand Slam winner won his first Major prize, the Australian Open, in 2008, defeating Tsonga in the final.
Novak Djokovic leads the all-time series versus Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. 17-6
Before Jo-Wilfried Tsonga retired, Novak Djokovic defeated him 17 times. They faced each other on the court 23 times.
Their rivalry extends back to the Serb’s victory in the 2008 Australian Open final. Tsonga, on the other hand, proved too strong for his opponent in their following four meetings.
Djokovic defeated the Frenchman for the second time in 2009 in the Miami Open. Between 2010 and 2011, the pair swapped punches, each winning two matches.
However, the World No. 1 ramped up the tempo and won every single match against Tsonga until the 2014 Wimbledon Championships. The Frenchman could only win one more game against Djokovic (R16: Canadian Open, 2014).
Their rivalry came to an end in 2019 at the Melbourne Major when the Serb won his 17th one-on-one match.
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