France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga says he needed to go through a period of self-discovery before he hired a new coach. The 28-year-old has reached the semifinals of Roland Garros for the first time and will face Spaniard David Ferrer. Tsonga spent a year and-a-half without a coach before hiring Australian Roger Rasheed last November, who used to coach Gael Monfils.
“I made the choice of being alone,” Tsonga said. “I decided to practice alone because it was a challenge for me to see how much I love tennis. And making sure I was not trying just to respond to other people's expectations and that I really wanted it myself. I realized that I just loved tennis, that it was something extraordinary, that I would really want to do that. And after a while I realized it was tough staying alone because, of course, there is the game itself. But there are many other things you have to manage as a tennis player. You have to be on time for practicing every day. You have to eat correctly. You have to sleep well. You need the life of a champion. It's always useful to have people around you who can help you doing that.
"I think Roger Rasheed is helping me to be more serious. Also, he can convey his passion for tennis. He loves the game. Also he's enthusiastic about everything, about tactics, about what is happening on the court, and also physically he's really pushing me. He wants me to do my best every day.”