Flamboyant Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has thrown down the gauntlet to fellow tennis big guns by declaring a “war” for the No.1 ranking in 2009.
And it’s one he expects to be in the thick of after confidently rating himself capable of winning the Australian Open in the first Grand Slam event of the New Year.
Tsonga will open 2009 by playing the inaugural Brisbane International next week, starting a month-long campaign Down Under to go one better than his final defeat at Melbourne Park in 2008.
The world No.6 is seeded second in Brisbane behind Serb world No.3 Novak Djokovic, who defeated him in four sets in the last Australian Open final.
“For me, it was very difficult to lose the final to Novak, so it’s given me a lot of motivation for the rest of the year and now I hope I will win against him the next time,” he said on Wednesday.
“I’m confident [of winning the Australian Open] because I’ve had a very good preparation.
“It’s a new opportunity to play another final or win a tournament.”
Following his Melbourne Park final disappointment, Tsonga was laid low by injuries but bounced back to win the Paris Masters to show his January success – which included a huge semifinal upset of Rafael Nadal – was no flash in the pan.
The 23 year old has since got the better of world No.3 Djokovic on three occasions, including his last match at the Masters Cup in November.
As Nadal finally ended Roger Federer’s record of 237 consecutive weeks at the top of the rankings after the Beijing Olympics, Tsonga felt the days of one player cementing himself as No.1 were over.
Asked who would be on top at the end of 2009,” Tsonga said: “I hope me but I don’t know.
“I think there is a lot of good players and it’s going to be a war.”
Fellow former Australian Open finalist and Brisbane International contender Marcos Baghdatis is one who believes Tsonga will challenge Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Andy Murray.
Tsonga was humbled to hear the popular Cypriot’s view but made a cheeky admission Baghdatis was a good judge.
The Muhammad Ali lookalike ramped up his preparations for his Australian campaign by practising against fellow Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the sweltering heat and humidity at Pat Rafter Arena on Wednesday.
“I like that,” he said. “It gives me a very good preparation for the Australian Open.”
Tsonga denied he came to Australia with any extra pressure to repeat the feats last summer and indicated he’d be nigh-on unstoppable in Brisbane if his booming serve was on song.
“It is enough because you can usually break with a little bit of luck and then you serve and you serve and you serve,” he said.
Meanwhile, talented West Australian teenager Brydan Klein has been awarded the last wildcard into the tournament.
It is the perfect birthday present for the Rockingham-born teenager, who turned 19 on Wednesday.
Klein won the Australian Open junior crown in 2007 and earned his wildcard with a strong showing in his first year in the senior ranks.