The French Open loses local hero Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in dramatic four set loss to Casper Ruud

Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga says goodbye to the French Open after a dramatic and emotional four-set defeat by Casper Ruud at Roland Garros – despite delivering a heroic performance in his final appearance

  • Jo-Wilfried Tonga said goodbye to the French Open after an emotional defeat
  • The Frenchman’s right arm appeared to seize up as he lost to Casper Ruud
  • The home crowd sang the Marseillaise to honour their 37-year-old countryman
  • Elsewhere, Russia’s Abdrey Rublev came close to disqualification in his match
  • He hit a loose ball in anger which flew perilously close to a ground man’s face

Roland Garros bid goodbye to one of its favourite sons on Tuesday as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bowed out in a dramatic and emotional match on Philippe Chatrier. 

Facing 8th seeded Norwegian Casper Ruud, the Frenchman summoned the kind of form we have not seen from him for a long time in a terrific four-set match, before his right arm seemed to seize up towards the end.

One group of fans came armed with a drum, a trumpet and a huge painting of Tsonga’s face. During a changeover in the final set the entire crowd spontaneously sang the Marseillaise. 

Jo-Wilfried Tonga’s right arm appeared to seize up as he lost in four sets to Casper Ruud

Tsonga bowed out in a dramatic and emotional match against the eighth seeded Norwegian

Tsonga bowed out in a dramatic and emotional match against the eighth seeded Norwegian

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There was an extended farewell on court afterwards when Tsonga was joined by his family and everyone in the stadium cried. It was all very lovely and all very French.

Argentina’s Facundo Bagnis could be getting a phone call from the referee’s office after he lost 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 to Daniil Medvedev with thick strapping around his right leg. 

Players can be fined if they are judged to have taken to the court despite being injured just to collect their prize money. 

And given that he retired from his previous match in Geneva and was visibly limping on Tuesday, Bagnis could be in trouble.

One group of fans came armed with a drum, a trumpet and a huge painting of Tsonga’s face

One group of fans came armed with a drum, a trumpet and a huge painting of Tsonga’s face

There was an extended farewell on court afterwards when Tsonga was joined by his family

There was an extended farewell on court afterwards when Tsonga was joined by his family

Tonga’ received an emotional farewell from the French crowd at the end of the match

Russia’s Andrey Rublev was lucky to avoid disqualification after a ball he whacked in anger rebounded and nearly hit a groundsman in the face. 

Instead it merely knocked off his cap and gave him an almighty shock. 

Given how fast the ball was travelling we were an inch or two away from a very nasty incident indeed. ‘I lost my mind for a moment,’ he said. ‘It’s unacceptable.’