PARIS (AP) — Former Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga announced Wednesday he will retire after the French Open, hoping to put the final touches on an injury-plagued career in front of his home crowd.
The 36-year-old Frenchman reached a career-high ranking of No. 5 in 2012, but has dropped to No. 220 following his latest lengthy injury layoff. That means he can't enter the main draw at Roland Garros automatically through his ranking, and will have to rely on being granted a wild-card entry by organizers.
Tsonga is the first member of a gifted generation of French players that emerged nearly 20 years ago — which also includes Gaël Monfils, Richard Gasquet and Gilles Simon — to call it quits.
"This is the last thrill," Tsonga said in a video. "This will be my 15th Roland. I hope that I will stay fit before and be able to be the one I have always been in that tournament."
Tsonga reached the semifinals twice at the French Open, in 2013 and 2015.
