Would Tsonga have been in Djokovic's position had he won AO 2008?
 

What do you guys think? If Tsonga had won and Djokovic didn't would he have went on to accomplish better things than he has so far? More slams, number 1, etc?

I think that final might've been more important than we think..

Djokovic would still acomplish a lot after than.

Tsonga would still be a mental foolery at times.

that's a good question, hmmm idk Djoko's really talented, but getting that slam would have no doubt given much confidence to Tsonga

Tsonga would plateau at a ranking of about #4 had he won the 2008 Australian Open. He wouldn't win any more slams after it.

didn't tsonga have a lot of bad injuries early in his career? I think this is one of his biggest problems. he does have the talent but he is kinda injury prone. what really makes a player better is being able to train and play for years without an injury break. that way you can improve all the time.

He would still have those injuries had he won that final (see DP who also won at didn't went on to dominate as did safin who also was a young winner). an early slam win is no guarantee for success although it does boost confidence.

however in the last two years he really managed to stay healthy which helped his game a lot. he is probably not going to win a slam as the big 4 are so good but he did raise his level of play and consistency. if he manages to stay healthy and fit he might have a chance claiming the 5th spot.

No. He would just forever be something he probably wont ever be now. A slam champion. He never had the consistency or mental toughness to be anything more than what he has settled into, a streaky dangerous spoiler, capable of a top 10 ranking and slam semifinal, maybe the very rare finals, runs.

Djokovic didnt even go on a tear after winning there, so why would anyone assume Tsonga who isnt as good or stable a player as Djokovic is going on one.

Djokovic's run in 2011 wasn't a tear? :shock:

Yeah 3 years later. He certainly didnt start taking over tennis or racking up the slams soon after his breakthrough slam win.

Djokovic improved on his results from 2007, winning a slam and being consistent through out the year. In 2008, Djokovic had a chance to end the year at #2, being basically tied with Federer for that spot.

Tsonga would win a slam and be very inconsistent afterwards. I see him as a player who wins a slam, gets ranked somewhere around #4, then enters the next year as that seed and falls in the 3rd or 4th round to somebody ranked #15-30. Nowhere near as good as Djokovic.

No. Djokovic would always be a more consistent player than Tsonga. Tsonga could have won the 2008 Australian Open, though. In the first set, Tsonga carried on where he had left off in crushing Nadal in the semi finals. The next 3 sets were very different.

He did go on to win the 2008 WTF and 2 more Masters that year (IW and Rome) and narrowly lost in the final of Cincinnati but it's true that winning his first Slam didn't herald any surge of dominance for Djokovic. Federer and Nadal remained the two top players for the next 3 years and Djokovic didn't even make another Slam final until 2010 USO, 2 years and 8 months after winning his maiden Slam at 2008 AO.

However after reaching his 2nd Slam final (2010 USO) since winning 2008 AO, Djokovic went on his roll and has made no less than 6 out of the 8 Slam finals played since then, winning 4 of them. It was that 2nd Slam final appearance after winning his 1st Slam, even though he lost, that seems to have been the trigger that propelled him to his present dominance of the men's tour!

It's difficult to know with Tsonga. Had he won his maiden Slam at 2008 AO, it might have given him the confidence he needed to go on a roll and surge to the top of the rankings and win a few more.

Then again, since winning his maiden Masters title in Paris at the end of that year, he hasn't won another.

He just doesn't seem to be consistent enough, mentally or physically.

It was actually his 3rd slam final appearance.

USO 2007, AO 2008 (Won), USO 2010....

Yes, of course. I should have said 2nd Slam final since winning 2008 AO!

Tsonga would have been just like Delpo. It is not that Tsonga has been knocking on semis and finals of majors since that time.

Tsonga is a headcasing underachiever.. Djoker turned his mentality and fitness around and made the necessary adjustments into becoming an all time great.. He developed a CHAMPION'S mentality

Tsonga didn't have the ability

Who knows what would have happened? Some times winning a match, especially a slam final, can change your life. Tsonga is talented, he's just inconsistent. He reminds me alot of Leconte. Had Tsonga won that AO final, it would have been back to back wins against Nadal and Djok, no mean feat. He may have had the belief and attitude change to strive for greatness. That final could have been a back to the future moment, where it changed the course of his destiny. But we'll never know.

I suppose he'd have a Wimbledon by now. But 5 slams and a stint at No. 1? Doubtful.

It probably wouldnt have changed a thing tbh because Djokovic's dominance came 3 years later