Jo-Wilfried Tsonga tells his official web site that he is a little surprised Rafael Nadal was able to return to the tour after seven months off and win three of the four tournaments he entered.
“Inevitably, it always surprises when a player who stopped long enough returns and beats right away the world’s best players,” Tsonga said. “This is not common. It’s pretty impressive.”
The Frenchman, who along with Nadal is playing the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 this week, added with a laugh: “I confess that until now I have never been able to do that, A ninth title [for Nadal] here? It’s a bit unreal to me, it’s another planet.”
The eighth-ranked Tsonga, who has never even reached the final of a clay-court tournament, added that he’s always considered himself a clay-court player because he grew up on it and because he slides easily.