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

[Towser83]

Originally Posted by Mainad

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

The US Open 2010? it wasn't though, it was his first since winning the AO 2008.

First ever was US Open 2007, 2ndwas AO 2008, then US Open 2010, so it was the first since the AO.

[abmk]

no, but he'd probably have enough confidence to go on and win another slam, maybe @ the AO or at wimbledon ...

[cc0509]

Originally Posted by Razoredge

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..

In one word? NO!

[bluetrain4]

I don't think so. Tsonga's high level is pretty high, but he usually can't sustain it over matches or tournaments. Simply, he's inconsistent. If he would have won the 2008 AO, I don't think he'd win as many Slams as Djoker, but I could believe he might add a second Slam simply due to having the confidence of knowing he can actually close one out. And he might have better runs in Slams than he has had (basically more SFs and QFs, maybe another final).

[cork_screw]

Originally Posted by Razoredge

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..

No, no no.

This isn't acting. Tsonga isn't Meghan Fox, and if she never landed Transformers, she probably wouldn't have the type of success she's having now. There's your analogy.

Dear god, why are people writing threads like this where you compare future accomplishments to past results. Tsonga also doesn't have a diary where he laments about how much that loss has affected him to the point where he can't win anything or achieve anything now. What he can get, he gets. Where he can't achieve is what he puts into it. This thread is a serious eye roll. Why are people writing stuff like this. No college education here?

[Sabratha]

Originally Posted by abmk

no, but he'd probably have enough confidence to go on and win another slam, maybe @ the AO or at wimbledon ...

Wimbledon would be almost impossible for Tsonga to win.

[abmk]

Originally Posted by Sabratha

Wimbledon would be almost impossible for Tsonga to win.

it would be tough, no doubt, but almost impossible ? I don't think so ....

[tacou]

I don't know about Tsonga, but Djokovic took 3 years to win another major. Who knows how much pressure he would have felt going into 2011 without a slam, DC and diet be damned?

Same with Tsonga, people are writing him off too easily. Since that final he has been in the second week of a slam 9 times, including 3 semi finals. With the confidence of a slam under his belt, he may have at least advanced to a couple more finals.

However Jo missed FO and Wimby 2008 so maybe he would have regressed anyways.

[loci]

I think he would have gone back into obscurity. French players are not world-beaters.

[Gonzo_style]

No he is not enough consistent, Tsonga can destroy Nadal, but on another day Martin Klizan can beat him easily.

[Sabratha]

Originally Posted by Gonzo_style

No he is not enough consistent, Tsonga can destroy Nadal, but on another day Martin Klizan can beat him easily.

Martin Klizan is a rising talent, losing to him isn't something to be ashamed of.

[TennisLovaLova]

the problem with french players in general is:
- bad influence of the french tennis federation,
- negative behaviour of the french media

When you're great, they love you
when you lose, they burn you

when tsonga reached the AO final, they were like "finally, a new hope"
then just after he lost: "he should lose weight, he's fat, there's no hope, blablabla"
And the federation is here just to suck their momentum and ruin them, it works like the Communist PArty in CHina
It happens all the time with french players: grosjean, gasquet,etc etc

[Magnetite]

No idea ..

[Gonzo_style]

Originally Posted by TennisLovaLova

the problem with french players in general is:
- bad influence of the french tennis federation,
- negative behaviour of the french media

When you're great, they love you
when you lose, they burn you

when tsonga reached the AO final, they were like "finally, a new hope"
then just after he lost: "he should lose weight, he's fat, there's no hope, blablabla"
And the federation is here just to suck their momentum and ruin them, it works like the Communist PArty in CHina
It happens all the time with french players: grosjean, gasquet,etc etc

Seems that they expect too much from players and thus put a lot of pressure on them.

[Mainad]

It's funny to think that Tsonga could have won that title given that he had just crushed Nadal in the semis 2,3 & 2 and took the 1st set against Djokovic in the final.

Both he and Djokovic were playing for their 1st Slam title although, unlike Tsonga, Djokovic had already played his 1st Slam final just 4 months earlier at the USO. Had he pulled it off, Tsonga would have been the first unseeded player to win a Slam since Gaudio at the 2004 FO.

In the end, I guess Djokovic just wanted it that little bit more. He was ready for it. Tsonga maybe not as much.

Interesting though that it would be more than 2 and a half years before Djokovic reached another Slam final (2010 USO) whereas Tsonga has yet to reach another! Evidently that 2008 AO final must have been a bit of a draining experience for them both!

[NadalAgassi]

Djokovic seemed to many people to be the heir apparent to #1 as early as early 2008 when he won that Australian Open so convincingly. However it turned out to be Nadal owning most of the next 3 years with Federer as his main rival. What he did in 2011 was what many were expecting him to do years sooner, but he wasnt ready for it it turned out. I dont think anyone thought Tsonga was tennis's next big thing, win or lose there. It was one of those lightning in a bottle kind of runs, and one could sense even then it was probably now or never for him.

[Sabratha]

Originally Posted by NadalAgassi

Djokovic seemed to many people to be the heir apparent to #1 as early as early 2008 when he won that Australian Open so convincingly. However it turned out to be Nadal owning most of the next 3 years with Federer as his main rival. What he did in 2011 was what many were expecting him to do years sooner, but he wasnt ready for it it turned out. I dont think anyone thought Tsonga was tennis's next big thing, win or lose there. It was one of those lightning in a bottle kind of runs, and one could sense even then it was probably now or never for him.

You could tell Djokovic was going to go on and do great things, being ranked #3 in the world at just 20 years old and having already had a close final against Federer. Then he goes on and wins the Australian Open, losing only one set on the way.

Tsonga was an unseeded 22 year old French player on a huge winning streak. He wasn't going to go on to be #1 or win any other slams, so in essense, you're correct.

[Mainad]

Originally Posted by NadalAgassi

Djokovic seemed to many people to be the heir apparent to #1 as early as early 2008 when he won that Australian Open so convincingly. However it turned out to be Nadal owning most of the next 3 years with Federer as his main rival. What he did in 2011 was what many were expecting him to do years sooner, but he wasnt ready for it it turned out. I dont think anyone thought Tsonga was tennis's next big thing, win or lose there. It was one of those lightning in a bottle kind of runs, and one could sense even then it was probably now or never for him.

There are plenty of people on here who still think Tsonga is going to be the next best thing!

For the next 3 years, it seemed like Djokovic's 2008 win was going to be lightening in a bottle too! He didn't actually do too much wrong in the remainder of that year. He won the WTF and 2 Masters titles and he ended each year still ranked #3. But it's bit strange that he made no more Slam finals until 2010 USO. He won only one biggish title in 2009 and none at all in 2010. 2011 was truly his 2nd breakout year after the promising start of 2008!

[Sabratha]

Originally Posted by Mainad

There are plenty of people on here who still think Tsonga is going to be the next best thing!

For the next 3 years, it seemed like Djokovic's 2008 win was going to be lightening in a bottle too! He didn't actually do too much wrong in the remainder of that year. He won the WTF and 2 Masters titles and he ended each year still ranked #3. But it's bit strange that he made no more Slam finals until 2010 USO. He won only one biggish title in 2009 and none at all in 2010. 2011 was truly his 2nd breakthrough year after the promising start of 2008!

He was actually five points off ending the year at #2 in 2008. When you look at 2009, he had a big dip in terms of points and held a mediocre lead on his #3 ranking. By 2010, he was fighting tooth and nail to get the #2 spot. He ended the year at #3, just ahead of Murray who was only a few hundred points behind him. In 2011, that all changed.