Jo Wilfried Tsonga: Now my main goal is to stay healthy and have fun

Former world No. 5 Jo Wilfried Tsonga hopes to stay healthy once tennis returns to its normal activities as he wants to enjoy the last stage of his career. 

Tsonga, who will be turning 35 this coming Friday, didn't start the season on the way he hoped it would as he picked up a back injury in his second match of the season. 

The Frenchman lost to Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic in his Doha opener, before he was forced to retire his first round clash at the Australian Open against Alexei Popyrin. 

Tsonga, now ranked at No. 49 in the world, has won 18 ATP titles throughout his career. 

"Today, my only goal is to have fun when I return to the court. I would like to win a tournament and return to the top-20," Tsonga said on Facebook Live with France Olympique, as revealed on We Love Tennis France.

Popyrin, 20, didn't celebrate too much after he progress into the Australian Open second round following a Tsonga retirement.

"It's a painful one, I've never felt like that after a match," Popyrin admitted later after the match. 

"He was my favourite player as a kid. Seeing him make the final here, I was jumping around like a crazy kid.

"Seeing him like that is painful, he's amazing. Everything about his game, his forehand, his backhand, and his attitude. I always loved the (celebration) he did after he won a match.

"It's just really painful to see him in pain."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2xwhbny