Tsonga Fires Back at Mouratoglou: 'You'll Never Know What It's Like to Be a Player'

Tensions flare between Patrick Mouratoglou and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. After the French coach's condescending remarks, the former world No. 5 delivered a scathing, emotional response.

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Jules Hypolite

le 07/01/2026 à 20h21

2 min to read

Mouratoglou Patrick Tsonga Jo-Wilfried

There is tension in the air between Patrick Mouratoglou and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

A few days ago, the French coach, known for having coached Serena Williams, Stefanos Tsitsipas, or Naomi Osaka, had stated that Tsonga, during his career, would not have been able to "regularly beat" players such as Draper, Auger-Aliassime, De Minaur, Fritz, and many others.

"You'll never know what it's like to be a player"

His comments had obviously sparked many reactions on social media. And this Wednesday, it was Tsonga himself who responded to Mouratoglou:

"You need to respect the player I was at least a little, rather than denigrating, by claiming in your comments that I only played well for one season. That's really disrespectful to all the other players who fight every day [...].

You're right about one thing: it doesn't take away any credit from Alcaraz and Sinner for dominating so much. And that's something that, once again, I didn't say. I would have liked to see them in the same Grand Slam as the Big 3, Murray, Wawrinka, Del Potro, and many other players from different eras who were exceptional.

I believe you'll just remain the coach, or 'The Coach,' but also the commentator, event organizer, patron. And I congratulate you for that. But you, you'll never feel, in your deepest flesh, what it's like to be a tennis player, to enter the arena."

"If you want to talk about it, pick up your phone and call me"

"You don't know what it's like. You're a coach. So not the best placed to correct me or give high-level tennis lessons. If you want to talk about it, you pick up your phone and you call me. No need to put me on display on social media and use my image for your communication and for your recognition.

Kisses, my Pat'. Happy 2026, keep doing what you do because you do it well. But respect the players at least a little if it's for the buzz, the comm', or the recognition."