Tsonga to skip US Open
French number one men’s singles player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will not play in the US Open starting later this month as he has not recovered from a knee injury, he told sports daily L’Equipe on Thursday.
“I will not go to the US Open (starting August 26). Today I have to have treatment and be certain I can play at 100 per cent fitness,” Tsonga, the world number 8, said.
“The thinking is simple. Doctors told me that it would take at least two months for my tendon partially to heal and five months to heal completely,” he explained.
Of his decision to miss the US Open he said: “It would be stupid to go there knowing full well that I have no chance because I’m not sufficiently prepared.”
Tsonga, a quarter-finalist at the US Open two years ago, has been out of action since the second round of Wimbledon, where he aggravated his knee tendon injury.
Last week he skipped Montreal and then this week missed the Cincinnati Masters.
He insisted he was “philosophical, not stressed at all” about his fitness woes.
“I know exactly what I have and how much time it will take before I can be back to full fitness. Each time I get injured I have always come back, often even stronger,” he mused.
He now hopes to be back in action on home ground at Metz starting September 16.
“I’ve got a month until then - it will come quickly but I am optimistic,” said Tsonga.
