Paris (AFP)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will not participate in the Australian Open from February 7 to 21, 2021, being "still unable to play competitively," the 35-year-old said on Twitter on Tuesday.
"I can't wait to get back to the courts, but I have to be patient ... even if not going to Australia this year is heartbreaking," said Tsonga, former world No.5 today 62nd in the ATP rankings. .
"Despite considerable progress in recent months, I am still not able to play in competition, the objective being to return to 100%", announced the Frenchman, who had missed Roland-Garros this fall and ended his season in September due to a persistent pelvic injury.
Due to injuries and the coronavirus pandemic, Tsonga only played two matches in 2020, losing two in Doha and at the Australian Open in January.
In Melbourne, his recalcitrant back had forced him to give up in the first round.
He then led him to give up the Rotterdam, Marseille and Dubai tournaments.
Plummeted beyond 250th place in the world at the end of 2018, after an operation on the left knee (meniscus) and a long recovery, the 2008 Australian Open finalist and double semi-finalist at Roland Garros (2013 and 2015) gradually rose through the ranks over the 2019 season, punctuated by two titles (Montpellier and Metz), until it regained a place around the top 30.
"I still have the morale, the rage, the desire and the motivation to come back in 2021, hoping that it evolves positively," Tsonga wrote in September.
© 2020 AFP