Aurélien CANOT, Media365, published on Friday, November 26, 2021 at 10:45 a.m.
Sponsor of the “Team BNP Paribas Jeunes Talents” program which allows young hopefuls of French tennis to be supported humanely and financially in order to try to reach the highest level, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga admits that he enjoys playing this role of big Brother. Even more with regard to the new ambitions of this program which offers 25 young people the opportunity to understand essential aspects for the rest of their career. A chance that the former French number 1, who hopes to regain his best level in 2022, regrets not having had in his debut.
Jo Wilfried Tsonga, you are the sponsor of the “Team BNP Paribas Young Talents” program. What are you going to bring to these young players so that they one day become great champions?
The objective is not to give advice or to lead, but to share my experience, what I have lived through all these years, from my youngest age until now. And from that, they will take what they want to take.
Why are you so firm in your desire to share your experience but not to give advice?
Because it is much more precious. Already, me, I always hated that one comes to impose things on me. I always needed my free will based on what I was told. I have always operated like this. So, today, what I’m going to convey is obviously that spirit. I don’t want to impose anything on anyone. I want young people to receive what they want to receive.
Are you not afraid to put them in some comfort? It is often said that French players are protected, even overprotected …
No, on the contrary, I think they were not always protected. One thing where for me, it was difficult, and where sometimes, I felt alone, was that my parents were quite far from my project, because they were left very far away. While the foreign players had family plans. We did not tell them that they were in a cocoon, that they were at mum and dad’s house… And in the end, that gives players even more complete, even more balanced and better in their sneakers. It’s one of the things that can make the difference, so me, comfort stories, it doesn’t affect me. I will never say that we are too comfortable or not enough. I believe in the values of work and learning, whether we are comfortable or not.
Tsonga: “Lots of things that haven’t been done in the past”
Is it always a pleasure to pass on to these young people, as you have been doing for four years?
Yes always. We initiated this program with Thierry Ascione and BNP Paribas who did an extraordinary job, with the French Tennis Federation. And today, we find, after three years already, three junior world champions in the program. I think we’re doing a good job. The objective is to continue on this path and to try to have very good players who will enrich our French teams and make French tennis shine.
What questions do you most often ask these young players, of whom you are the sponsor?
There are a lot of questions, which always makes the exchange very rich. There is one that comes up often, it’s knowing when I knew I was going to become a professional player. I tell them that if you are looking for guarantees, you should not play tennis, because in tennis, there are never guarantees. We don’t know when and if we will become a champion. The only thing we know is that you have to work on a daily basis, try and believe in it. Because only those who try are successful. And then persevere to go to the end.
What aspect of this particular program would you like to benefit from?
There are plenty of things. Already the nutrition (laughs) – I don’t know why you’re kidding – there’s also the mental preparation, which encompasses a lot of things. There is also the fact that they meet people who are experts in their field and great athletes. Right now, the kids are attending a tennis history class, and that’s really important. Me, I found myself during interviews answering questions about the history of tennis and I did not know anything about it, because I did not learn it and that it cannot be invented. There are also English modules. When we find ourselves in front of fifteen thousand people saying: “Yes, I’m very happy”, I can tell you that it is not funny. You get out of there and you don’t want to go do interviews anymore. There is also everything related to the environment: agents, sponsors, equipment. It is really very comprehensive. This program is really important for young people, because these are things that have not been done in the past, and which can bring a lot to those who want to go to the highest level and make tennis their profession.
Tsonga: “Return to the highest level”
There is also a social media module. At the start of your career, this did not exist but it can turn out to be violent there too …
Exactly. It can be very difficult depending on each other’s sensitivities or beliefs. The relationship with the media is always something important, because you can also leave feathers there and worry about not much. There is a lot to learn, and it is good that the “Team BNP Paribas Young Talents” program is concerned about it.
What will the year 2022 look like for you? Have you considered or planned an end of your career?
My end of career, I’ve imagined it a hundred times, but hey, it started at 19, so (laughs)… No, my goal is really to get back to 2022. I got injured just before the US Open when I had no back pain since midsummer and thought I was going to be able to play the US Open. I realized that I had to prepare myself much better physically to be able to return to this level, so suddenly, I did not play at the end of the season, I took the time for myself. But there, I am working hard to be able to return to the highest level and I intend to resume in January.
With an invitation that could possibly come back to you at the Australian Open …
Yes, I requested it from the FFT. Now I await their response. In the meantime, I am working hard. And if it’s not at the Australian Open, it will be elsewhere. I am motivated to try to get back on the courts.
