Jo-Wilfried Tsonga withdraws from Indian Wells Masters

• Tennis News
• ATP Tennis

Former world No. 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has withdrawn from the Indian Wells Masters. Tsonga, now ranked at No. 224 in the world, was set to enter Indian Wells via a protected ranking. Tsonga, 36, won't be making his 10th Indian Wells appearance this year.

Tsonga, who hasn't played in Indian Wells since 2017, made two quarterfinals in the desert. Tsonga made his first Indian Wells quarterfinal in 2013, in which he was beaten by world No. 1 Novak Djokovic. Tsonga also reached the Indian Wells quarterfinal in 2016, and again lost to Djokovic.

Felix Auger-Aliassime shows Tsonga respect

Last week in Marseille, Auger-Aliassime defeated his childhood idol, Tsonga, 7-6 (3) 6-2. "8 year old Felix had dreams about this match. Amazing to share the court with my childhood idol.

Thank you for being an inspiration Jo," Auger-Aliassime tweeted. Tsonga responded: "Bravo @felixtennis, I played my idols too when I arrived on the tour. Victory or defeat, it's the moments that remain engraved in our memories.

I wish you all the success you deserve." After the match, Auger-Aliassime shared a moment with Tsonga at the net. “It was a special moment,” Auger-Aliassime said. “When the match was coming to the end, I knew it was going to be a special moment, a full-circle moment.

He was my top idol growing up and I saw myself in him at times. “The other great players I couldn’t relate to them. They seemed they were from another planet but Jo seemed like a big brother. I told him how much he was my idol when I was growing up and he told me to aim for the stars and not be shy and I can go to the top." After Marseille, Tsonga appeared at this week's Pau Challenger. Unfortunately for Tsonga, he suffered a 6-4 7-6 (6) loss to Roman Safiullin the Pau first round.