Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Roasts Patrick Mouratoglou for Denying Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner Clash with Weaker Rivals Compared to Big 3
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who retired in 2022, never clashed with World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz or World No.2 Jannik Sinner.
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L: Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz; In circle left: Patrick Mouratoglou; In circle right: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga; R: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic (Image via X/The Tennis Letter, Swish Tennis, Bastien Fachan, Scott Barclay)
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Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer used to face each other as well as other tough opponents such as Andy Murray, Juan Martin del Potro, and Stan Wawrinka. This made winning Majors tougher compared to the present time, believes Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Last year in an interview, Tsonga said Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who are dominating on the men’s tour since the 2024 season, did not have to deal with any of the aforementioned players en route to winning Grand Slam titles. He directly questioned their unbeatable status as well as whether the two youngsters are physically and mentally stronger than the Big 3.
But Patrick Mouratoglou doesn’t share the same opinion as Tsonga. He recently took to his Instagram to point out that Alcaraz and Sinner also face competition from the likes of Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Jack Draper, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alex de Minaur, and Holger Rune. Serena Williams‘ former coach highlighted Alcaraz’s two Wimbledon wins (2023 and 2024), which he won by defeating Djokovic.
Later on Instagram comments, when a user wrote that prime Tsonga would have defeated players like Aliassime and Draper almost every time, Naomi Osaka‘s former coach dropped this comment: “Probably but prime Jo was only one season“.
Although it’s uncertain about the season that Mouratoglou mentioned. Tsonga, a two-time Masters 1000 champion, lost the 2008 Australian Open final to Djokovic and the 2011 ATP Finals to Federer.
Tsonga refused to back down on his claims. He took to his Instagram stories to give a strong response to Mouratoglou’s remarks.
You need to show some respect for the player I was when you claim in your comments that I only played well for one season. I think I have the right to ask myself the question: would I have liked to see Sinner and Alcaraz in the same Grand Slam as Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, Wawrinka, Del Potro, and many other players?
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga said
The French former player, who called time on his career in 2022, held a 6-17 head-to-head record versus Djokovic. Against Federer, the 40-year-old trailed 6-12, while against Nadal, he won four matches out of the 14 they played.
I think you’ll just be remembered as ‘The Coach’, the commentator, the event organizer, the patron, and honestly, I congratulate you for that. But you’ll never have felt in your bones what it’s like to be a tennis player and step into the arena; you don’t know what that’s like. You’re not in the best position to correct me or give me lessons on top-level tennis. Call me if you want to talk about tennis. But there’s no need to embarrass me on social media and to use my image.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga added
Tsonga lifted 18 singles titles. The last time he won a title was at the 2019 Moselle Open.
Rod Laver on who between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner is the favorite to win the Australian Open
The Australian Open starts on January 18. Jannik Sinner will be bidding for a three-peat, while Carlos Alcaraz’s goal will be to complete the Career Grand Slam.
Tennis great Rod Laver, an 11-time Grand Slam singles champion, predicted who between the World No.1 and the World No.2 would win the Melbourne Grand Slam.
Sinner continues to strengthen his game and is the two-time defending champion, but if the conditions are hot, I’d say Carlos has an edge, and his desire to win is going to be higher than ever because he hasn’t won it before.
Rod Laver said (H/T: Laver Cup)
Before the first Major of the season, Alcaraz and Sinner will play an exhibition event in Incheon, South Korea, on January 10. It will be the third time they will meet in an unofficial match since 2024, following their two Six Kings Slam final meetings, both of which the four-time Grand Slam champion won.
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