French Open 2022 Wild Cards – Jo Wilfried Tsonga and Gilles Simon Get Home Advantage

It was the year 2008. Jo Wilfried Tsonga was playing in just his second Australian Open that year. The French tennis star reached the finals of the tournament before losing against Novak Djokovic in the summit clash. However, en route to the finals, he defeated some big names in the form of Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.

Further, over his career, Tsonga managed to win a couple of ATP Masters 1000 events apart from making semi-final appearances on several occasions in major tournaments. He, along with compatriot Gilles Simon, played a major role in France’s victorious Davis Cup campaign in 2017.

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Earlier this year, Tsonga and Simon announced that this season will be the final one of their illustrious tennis careers. While Tsonga will retire after the Roland Garros, Simon will bid adieu at the end of this season. Recently, the two players received a farewell gift from the clay-court Grand Slam tournament.

Jo Wilfried Tsonga and Gilles Simon receive French Open wild cards

The two retiring stars of French tennis received a main draw wild card to play in front of their home crowd. It will be an emotional moment for the two French veterans, who have enthralled tennis fans over the years with their audacious displays on the tennis court.

Roland Garros announced their main draw wild cards today, headlined by retiring French veterans Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gilles Simon.

“We wanted them to live their final Roland Garros in the main draw, in front of their fans,” said tournament director Amelie Mauresmo.

— TENNIS (@Tennis) May 11, 2022

Announcing the wild card entrants for this year’s tournament, tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said, “We wanted them to live their final Roland Garros in the main draw, in front of their fans. And also to thank them for what they have done throughout their career.”

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France celebrates victory after his match against Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany on day 4 of the Rolex Paris Masters, part of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 held at the at AccorHotels Arena on October 31, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Apart from Tsonga and Simon, Lucas Pouille, Corentin Moutet, Manuel Guinard, and Gregoire Barrere have also received wild card entries. In women’s singles, Tessah Andrianjafitrimo, Fiona Ferro, Elsa Jacquemot, Leolia Jeanjean, Chloe Paquet, and Harmony Tan got main-draw wildcards. Additionally, Katie Volynets and Michael Mmoh earned the U.S. Tennis Association’s wild-card entries for the French Open.

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Tsonga and Simon will look to enthrall the home fans for one final time when they step onto the court in Paris.

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