Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the World No.7, has cast in doubt his ability to be available to take part in the first Masters 1000 events of the 2017 season.
The Frenchman’s partner is due to give birth to their first child some time next month and Tsonga has neither confirmed nor denied his availability to play in the United States events.
Tsonga “I have been on the Tour for a while. Tennis is wonderful, it’s a very important part in my life, but at the same time there is another one that is important too and that’s my family. I will have to make choices.”
Tsonga’s career has been littered with absences since he broke onto the world stage with a run to the Australian Open final in 2008, losing to Novak Djokovic. Knee injuries in particular have consistently curtailed his career, though if he were to miss the Masters in Indian Wells and Miami, it looks set to be for a much more positive reason.
After the birth, Tsonga will join the likes of Roger Federer as players who are active parents on the tour, with Federer a father to two pairs of twins with his Mirka.