Underdog Tsonga all set to take on the world

MELBOURNE, Jan 26: Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga smiled, gave a typically Gallic shrug of the shoulders and considered his answer.

“I don’t know,” he told reporters when asked about what the secret was to his amazing run to Sunday’s final against third seed Novak Djokovic. “Because maybe I don’t want to play bad,” he added with a smile and another shrug.

The 22-year-old’s broad shoulders have provided the impetus needed to blast past four seeds, including a demolition of number two Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals, to set up his first Grand Slam final against Serbia’s Djokovic.

In doing so, he is the first Frenchman to reach a Grand Slam final since Arnaud Clement met Andre Agassi at Melbourne Park in 2001. Only one other Frenchman – Yannick Noah at Roland Garros in 1983 – has won a Grand Slam title in the Open era.

If he beats Djokovic he would be the first Frenchman to win the Australian Open title since Jean Borotra in 1928, and only the third man in the Open era to claim his first ATP tour title at a Grand Slam.

That history does not appear to be weighing on him.

“I not believe it, but I’m here and I have to do it,” he said. “Just play, just do my best, and that’s it. I will see what happens on the court but I will do my best. If I win, that’s unbelievable. And if I lose, I did my best, so no problem.”

Djokovic, however, faces greater pressure to succeed having disposed of world number one and defending champion Roger Federer in the semi-finals.

The Serb knows he will be the favourite on Sunday, having not dropped a set in the tournament and having played in a Grand Slam final, at last year’s US Open.

“Looking at the rankings I would be the favourite,” the 20-year-old Serb stated. “I have more experience in these important matches, and I have been already in the Grand Slam finals.