TENNIS Tsonga suffers earliest exit

Nothing much went right for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at this year's French Open.

One game away from elimination when play resumed on Wednesday, Tsonga lasted less than eight minutes on court before losing to Renzo Olivo 7-5, 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-4.

"I didn't have the best feeling yesterday or even today," Tsonga said. "I never really found the right pace. Unfortunately, that meant I couldn't play well enough to win."

The first-round match started Tuesday, but was suspended because of darkness with Olivo leading 5-4 in the fourth set.

It was the first time Tsonga has lost to a player ranked as low as No. 91 at a Grand Slam.

"I fought with the arms I had. I gave my best all the way to the end," the 12th-seeded Tsonga said. "Even today when I stepped onto the court, I tried to get back into the game. I gave my best. Now I need to focus on the rest."

Tsonga lost the first three points on his serve Wednesday. But cheered on by a passionate home crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier, he managed to save those three match points.

Olivo, however, converted his next chance with a forehand crosscourt winner.

It was Tsonga's earliest exit at Roland Garros since 2005, and came only a few days after he won his first clay-court title in Lyon.

"Tennis runs in cycles," the 32-year-old Tsonga said. "There are victories. There are disappointments. I think the most important is to remain as stable and consistent as possible in terms of emotions, because when you're working, if you work well, you're

I gave my best all the way to the end... unfortunately, I couldn’t play well enough to win JO-WILFRED TSONGA

always rewarded at some point.

"If it's not today, it will be another day. Last week I won my first-ever clay tournament. And today I lost at the French Open. It's the paradox of tennis."

Olivo had only ever played three Grand Slam matches — all at the Australian Open.

"It was a very difficult match against a really tough opponent like Jo. And he was playing home. I knew it was going to be hard. It was going to be crowdy," the 25-year-old Argentine said.