2023-11-03 02:33:31
The role of captain of the French Davis Cup team attracts “old glories”. After Gilles Simon and Marion Bartoli in particular, it is the turn of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to be a candidate to succeed Sébastien Grosjean who has held the position since 2018. But the latter has decided to become the new coach of the young French hopeful Arthur Son (38th in the world) and, in fact, renounce his position in the Davis Cup. The French tennis federation plans to appoint his successor at the end of the Rolex Paris Masters, which is being held in Paris until November 5.
But Gilles Simon and Marion Bartoli will not be the only candidate. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 38 years old, retired since 2022 and notably a former finalist at the Australian Open, in turn applied in an interview with The Team. “I want to do it,” he says. “I like the fact that we have a group in reconstruction, that we have young people who are starting to hit very hard, veterans who can provide support and to guide “.
“An atmosphere where the elders pass it on to the young”
Tsonga believes that, through his past, he is the ideal link between generations. “There are the old guys, who are my friends (Editor’s note: Richard Gasquet or Gaël Monfils) and who, for me, will have a role to play, in one way or another, for the team. Today, we are not united. I have the impression that young people and old people have difficulty finding each other. The objective is to create this atmosphere where the elders pass it on to the younger ones. »
Tsonga explains that he did not expect Grosjean to withdraw but that he received “like ten others” a request from the federation to find out if the position might interest him. The answer is positive. “It motivates things a little bit all the same,” he gets excited. I’m like crazy. »
“Not to have a little fun at the Games”
The prospect of leading France at the Paris Olympics also enters his thinking, but Tsonga says he sees further. “I’m not applying to have a little fun until the Games! I want it to be a bit permanent. The minimum is two years. » The first deadline for whoever replaces Sébastien Grosjean will be in February 2024, with the Blues having a Davis Cup play-off match to play.
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