Leconte, Santoro Predict Breakthrough Year For Tsonga

ATP Champions Tour stars Henri Leconte and Fabrice Santoro have backed their countryman Jo Wilfried Tsonga to have a breakthrough year in 2012, and possibly win his first Major title.

Leconte, a player who shares many similarities with the 26-year-old Tsonga’s flashy and explosive playing style, told the ATP Champions Tour website that the current World Number 6 is ready to take the next step in his career.

"I think Tsonga has the game,” said Leconte, whose next appearance on the ATP Champions Tour will come at the BNP Paribas Zurich Open (March 20-24). “I hope he will be the player of next year, and if he train's hard and keeps going the way he is now then he has a good chance to win his first Grand Slam title.

“He has to keep believing in himself and keep going. Tsonga definitely has the capability to break into that top five in the early part of next year, and then from there anything can happen. He is very consistent and has been able to trouble the top guys before, we saw that at the World Tour Finals."

Santoro, who himself knows a thing or two about Grand Slam competition, holding the record for the most appearances in singles competition at Grand Slam events (70) and also being the only male player to have competed in Grand Slams events in four different decades, also believes Tsonga may have the game to become France’s first Grand Slam Champion since Yannick Noah lifted the French Open title in 1983.

"The way Tsonga has played since June has been amazing,” said Santoro. ”After the French Open, he reached the semifinal of Wimbledon, the quarterfinal of the US Open, he won in Metz, reached the final of the Paris Masters and of course had a great run at the ATP World Tour finals. During that period he beat both Federer and Nadal twice and that was huge for him.

“At the moment, the same top four players will always be making it to the latter stages of tournaments so it's all about breaking into that group, and Tsonga is definitely France's best hope for doing that. He’s a great player. No doubt it will be tough but he has the capability.”

The 2012 ATP Champions Tour begins in Delray Beach, Florida, February 24-28.