INJURY ENDS FRENCH OPEN DREAM FOR JO-WILFRIED TSONGA AS HE BID AN EMOTIONAL FAREWELL.

Heading into the French Open, former world No. 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga said his tournament would be the last. Before hanging up his tennis shoes, however, the 37-year-old was eager to put on a show at Roland-Garros, and he pushed world No. 8 Casper Ruud throughout their first-round encounter, and was close to forcing a decider before a shoulder injury ended his hopes.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga signed off with a typically spirited display as his Roland-Garros retirement party ended with injury heartbreak in his first-round defeat to world No. 8 Casper Ruud.

The 37-year-old confirmed he would be hanging up his tennis shoes after the Grand Slam, but he was hoping to prolong retirement by upsetting the eighth seed.

With his family, plus compatriots Gael Monfils and tournament director Amelie Mauresmo, among those watching on, Tsonga was able to take the first set in a tie-break as the home crowd spurred their Frenchman on.

Ruud fought back to take the next two sets, but the supporters then broke out into the French national anthem when Tsonga was battling to force a decider.

Tsonga almost did just that, having broken in the 11th game, but when serving to take the match to a fifth set, his body – as it has done over the last few years – sadly let him down.

Visibly struggling and holding his shoulder, Tsonga called for the trainer just before the fourth-set tie-break, and though the Frenchman soldiered on, he was unable to win a single point in the breaker, bowing out after the tears flowed while getting a standing ovation before the seventh and final point.

Ruud goes on to face Emil Ruusuvuori after winning 6-7(6) 7-6(4) 6-2 7-6(0), while Tsonga retires with 18 ATP titles, a Davis Cup victory with France in 2017 and an Olympic doubles silver medal from London 2012, having reached a career-high singles ranking of fifth.

Tsonga was given a raucous reception as he took to Court Philippe-Chatrier for what he knew could be his last appearance. The former world no. 5 has slipped to 297 in the rankings following years of injury problems.

He has been a crowd favourite in Paris for 15 years, twice making the semi-finals and coming close to ending the long wait for a men’s singles champion, going back to Yannick Noah in 1983. He also suffered the misfortune of competing in an era dominated by the big three of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic – as well as Stan Wawrinka and Andy Murray.

Ruud entered Roland-Garros as a dark horse for the title after a stunning year, which most recently saw him lift the trophy at the Geneva Open warm-up tournament.

The match got off to an even start, Tsonga clearly motivated by supporters on the main show court. The 37-year-old failed to convert two break points in the third game, as both players held serve in the early stages.

Rain threatened to bring play to a halt, with the decision made before the match not to close the roof. But the sun came out and the temperature of the match began to increase too. Tsonga saved a break point in the sixth game and Ruud had suddenly found his serve. The Norwegian pushed for a break in the 12th game, but the French veteran held out for a tie-break.

Tsonga was always the front runner throughout, and brought up several mini-breaks. But up set point at 6-4, he chose to leave a shot at the net, only to see the ball agonisingly drop in, dropping to his knees with his head in his hands. He got his opportunity again when Ruud hit a cross court forehand wide, and Tsonga sealed the set 8-6 with an overhead – punching the air in front of his ecstatic supporters.

The Frenchman was rolling back the years and the second set started evenly, but Tsonga missed two break points to take an early advantage in the fourth game, before Ruud duly did the same in the next.

Tsonga found himself in trouble in the seventh game, not helped by dust from the court flying up into his eye, and after an hour and 37 minutes, a long forehand handed Ruud the first break of the match. The 2008 Australian Open runner-up did not let his head drop, and a wayward shot from the eighth seed opened up a break-back opportunity, which Tsonga took.

The set would be settled by a tie-break once again and Tsonga found himself up a mini-break early on. The quality dipped from both players and after the home favourite was pegged back to 3-3, a poor drop shot handed momentum to Ruud, who levelled the match by taking the breaker 7-4 to what was almost silence on Philippe-Chatrier.

Tsonga found himself under pressure early in the third, with Ruud wasting a break opportunity in the second game and finding himself in a see-saw of deuce points. The Norwegian finally took advantage in the Frenchman’s next service game to go 3-1, converting his third opportunity of the set.

A loose service game at 5-2 down allowed Ruud to wrap up what turned out to be a routine set, and Tsonga was either going to need to produce a stirring comeback – or his distinguished professional tennis career was going to come to an end.

The crowd had not given up on Tsonga, who came out swinging at the start of the fourth set. Ruud was still on top, though, and he wasted a break point opportunity in just the second game.

Tsonga was not giving up either, and he gave the crowd more to shout about in the latter stages of the set, valiantly keeping it on serve before breaking Ruud in the 11th game.

The roof would have come off if there was one, while the crowd broke out into La Marseillaise during the break before Tsonga served to force a decider, but what followed was a heart-breaking moment in tune with the player’s recent injury struggles.

A shoulder issue seemed to surface seemingly from nowhere, and after he called on the trainer, an emotional breaker resulted in Tsonga losing all seven points, with tears flowing before the seventh and final point.

It was a fitting farewell, in truth, and Roland-Garros organisers paid tribute to Tsonga with a presentation afterwards.