Mornin'. It was a final few would have predicted, what with Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick (a four-time champion at the venue) in the mix, but the title at Queens Club will be decided between Andy Murray and Jo-Wifried Tsonga. What, are we seeing stirrings of champion fever in Tsonga - one of the more baffling and unpredictable figures prowling the tour these days?
Sure, over the past few years Tsonga has lost a lot of time and the kind of "match fitness" that you only get from actually playing matches under tournament (rather than practice) conditions. On the other hand, a hugely talented guy with a dangerously big game ought to find ways to reap some rewards from a hiatus as well; you know, come back fitter, stronger, more determined than ever. Tsonga never seems to have done that.
Tsonga leaped into prominence in 2008, when he belted his way to the Australian Open final (l. to Djokovic) and finished the year ranked no. 6 (he's currently no. 19). The vigil for a Tsonga Grand Slam title began then, but his campaign proceeded in fits and starts (thanks to Tsonga's frequent injury timeouts) through most of 2010.
In the ensuing years, he often showed signs of being surprisingly "soft" for a ruggedly-built, strapping kid of 6"2' He seem to grow tired or short of focus in longer matches (a critical liability once shared by Murray, his opponent today); in smaller events, he posted puzzling losses and rarely spoke or acted like a top player dogged by bad luck but determined to be part of the conversation at the highest level.
Over time, people grew tired of waiting, or they were disappointed by Tsonga. They seemed to forget. Or give up. Perhaps this will be the start of a new chapter for the talented but un-integrated player. But the way Murray played in beating Roddick in under an hour ought to be enough to strike fear in anyone.
Enjoy the final.
-- Pete