Australian Open: Jo–Wilfried Tsonga ruled out of Melbourne tournament
Tuesday 13 January 2015 12:40, UK
Jo–Wilfried Tsonga has ruled himself out of the Australian Open due to a forearm strain.
The French No 1 and world No 12 has been struggling with the arm injury since the Davis Cup final against Switzerland in Lille in November.
Tsonga played the opening rubber of the Davis Cup final against Stan Wawrinka but lost in four sets and then withdrew from the rest of the match which the Swiss won 3-1.
He then pulled out of this week’s Hopman Cup team tournament in Perth and has now decided he will not be fit for the first Grand Slam event of the season which starts in Melbourne on January 19.
The 29-year-old will continue to undergo treatment over the next three weeks in a bid to be fit in time for the Masters Series tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami.
"It is with great disappointment that I have to postpone today the start of my season, pulling out of the Australian Open," said Tsonga.
"I'm still suffering from a forearm inflammation (intersection syndrome) and that prevents me from being at full capacity."
Tsonga's best Grand Slam run to date came at the Australian Open in 2008 when he beat Rafa Nadal on the way to the final before losing in four sets to Novak Djokovic.
