Tsonga is a nice person - share similar stories

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

Never really saw Tsonga behave badly on a court on maybe I missed it
anyway I heard last year when he was playing the AO, every year he buys tickets for a group of french fans who were there in 2008 when he made the final
he doesnt even know them - of course he has money but not every player would do the same

at the french open 2015 a boy tried to get an autograph of Tsonga but at some point Tsonga left after having signed plenty of them, and the boy didnt get his, he was seen crying into his mum's arms
and few days later, Tsonga sent a photo to him by mail with his signature on it - i bet it made this boys day

TTW is negative most of the time towards players, share positive stories that you heard about any player for a change

PS: no need to mention Matosevic

 

[ArcspacE]

Someone shared a nice story about Dimitrov in the 'I'm a pro - ask me questions' thread

I think Nishikori also comes across as a great guy and someone who wouldn't disrespected even an ant. Some of the work Murray has done with Hutchins - most of it has been blown into PR of course but, still stands

 

[Murrayjuannow]

Telegraph.co.uk

NEWS



Tennis star Roddick saves lives in Rome fire

By Alix Ramsay in Rome
12:01AM BST 02 May 2004

ANDY RODDICK, one of the world's top tennis stars, was hailed as a hero yesterday after helping guests including fellow players to escape a fatal blaze in a five-star hotel, writes Alix Ramsay in Rome.

Three people died in the fire, which engulfed the top floors of the Parco dei Principi, near the Villa Borghese park in central Rome. Roddick, 21, who is in Italy to compete in the Rome Masters tournament, helped to lead guests to safety after the fire broke out at 5am yesterday.

Unable to escape through the corridor outside his sixth floor room because of thick smoke, he went out to the balcony. Here he saw Sjeng Schalken, the Dutch No 1, with six others trapped on a roof 10 feet above, beyond the reach of any rescue ladders.

"They jumped from the seventh floor to my balcony so they could get away from the smoke," he said.

"I caught Sjeng first and then his wife. We helped those other people down and then we just waited there. I was talking to people down below. I knew some people on the first floor and they were keeping us updated with what the fire was doing." His American Davis Cup team-mate, Robby Ginepri, 21, said: "There was a ton of smoke in the corridor and you couldn't even see more than five feet ahead of you. Everyone was running frantically, trying to find the exit.

"We saw flames coming from three different sides of the building. Windows were shattering, with glass everywhere."

Ginepri said he had been on the fourth floor, "right above the fire". He said: "I'm actually staying with my coach, John Thompson, and luckily he heard it. I took a sleeping pill last night, so I didn't hear anything. People were yelling in the hallway 'fire, fire' and he thought it was kids doing a prank at the beginning. But they kept on yelling."

The victims included an American James Lawery, 57, from Georgia, who slipped as he climbed over a balcony using pillow cases knotted together. An elderly Canadian couple, Paul and Bernice Busque, died of smoke inhalation after barricading themselves inside their bathroom to escape the flames.

The blaze is being treated as suspicious and two American women have been questioned by police.

Up to 30 tennis players were staying at the hotel, where rooms cost up to €750 (£530) a night

Marat Safin, the former US Open champion, and his girlfriend were trapped in a corridor but managed to escape. Like many players, he was left with nothing more than the clothes he stood up in. Roddick's rackets are said to have melted in the heat.

Last night, the shaken players rejoiced in their lucky escapes as they prepared for tomorrow's tournament.

Britain's Tim Henman, who had booked himself into a different hotel, said that his stringer, who was staying at the Parco, looked out of the window to see flames from the building.

"Ron said that he grabbed his racket bag, because he'd got my rackets, Lleyton Hewitt's rackets and all his passports."

 

[TheMusicLover]

^^ Yeah, that was heroic by Roddick! Mind you, he was barely 20 years old back then.
Sjeng Schalken has always claimed he actually owes his and his wife's lives to him.

Great thread, @tipsa...don'tlikehim! We need more positive stuff over here, in stead of eternal bickering and GOAT-wars...

 

[Deleted member 307496]

Always liked Tsonga. He's a big guy with a big heart.

This definitely deserves a like. Good stuff, tipsa.

 

[TennisLovaLova]

well sorry to break it down to you, I was in Rome last year and saw the Tsonga drama queen circus. The guy is just obnoxious (Tsonga). Each time, and it was like that the whole week of the tournament, he wouldnt sign any autograph while around training courts and after/before matches. In Roma, between the parking lot and the players lounge there is a 50-100 m walk, seriously ALL the players stopped to take pictures and give autographs, berdych taking selfies with fans, except obnoxious pretentious Tsonga. Fans booed him for that.
Sebastin Grosjean (in a suit) was walking by so I asked him " what's wrong with this guy?" He smiled at me and said basically "he's focused"
Il a trop le melon

I met Hantuchova in Rome in Via Condotti in the Adidas shop. The shop was almost empty, it was monday morning, and she was there all by herself retrieving her outfits for the tournament. Took a few pictures with her and the wife and took advantage of the situation and said goodbye with kisses on the cheeks
A great souvenir.

 

[Boom-Boom]

Always liked Tsonga. He's a big guy with a big heart.

This definitely deserves a like. Good stuff, tipsa.

Yeah takes a big heart to default in DC final just to fly in India one week after play the IPTL and collect $$$$$$

 

[Deleted member 688153]

You guys have heard this one, right?

http://mashable.com/2013/08/01/roger-federer-fan-wish/

A great champion, and also a great human being.

 

[Capulin Zurdo]

Fantastic stories; thanks all for sharing. Whoa, I didn't know about Roddick and the fire in Rome.

 

[tennis4me]

I recently saw Sam Querrey in a local Challenger tournament. After he won the tournament, he asked the ball boys/girls to hit some balls on the court. Very nice gesture. Genuinely nice person. Kudos to his upbringing.

 

[tennis4me]

TTW is negative most of the time towards players, share positive stories that you heard about any player for a change

Thank you for starting this thread. Breath of fresh air from the usual negativity.

 

[Serve&Bash]

I know people know Djokovic to be gracious in defeat, but how about Hewitt. I think he was extremely gracious at the net after he lost at USO 2004 and AO 2005.

Also, Wawrinka seems to actually applaud for shots even when he does not have the lead in the match. He applauded numerous shots by Gasquet in the 5th set yesterday.

 

[Gary Duane]

I know people know Djokovic to be gracious in defeat, but how about Hewitt. I think he was extremely gracious at the net after he lost at USO 2004 and AO 2005.

Also, Wawrinka seems to actually applaud for shots even when he does not have the lead in the match. He applauded numerous shots by Gasquet in the 5th set yesterday.

No, Hewitt was a racist and a punk. I learned that in this forum. So obviously he never did anything nice in his life.

Seriously, most likely on a good day most of these players are good people. Why not?