For France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Novak Djokovic's dominance in the tennis scene is both annoying and impressive.
In an interview with French media outlet Le Parisien, Tsonga gave his insights about Djokovic and the Serb's remarkable tennis run in the past 15 months. Tsonga admitted that most of the professional tennis players like him inspire to be like Djokovic, but the 30-year-old Frenchman admitted the Serb's tennis domination both feels annoying and impressive in a way.
"To me he is an extraterrestrial," Tsonga said as translated by Tennis World USA. "What he can do is exceptional."
"He crushes it with serenity and facility. He is amazing. When you see all the effort it's required, he certainly does more than others and it's beautiful. It's a combination of everything. It's impressive and annoying because we would like to lift the trophy too."
Tsonga has only won two of his last meetings with Djokovic, including a thrilling quarterfinal loss in Indian Wells. The world No. 9 will have another chance to meet Djokovic at the Monte Carlo Masters, where Tsonga, if he gets the job done, could face the 11-time Grand Slam winner in the semifinal round.
Meanwhile, Djokovic, who bids to defend his title at the Monte Carlo Masters, heads into the European clay-court season with the momentum to continue his winning ways after a historical run at the Miami Open.
The start of the clay-season signifies yet another chance for Djokovic to finally capture the elusive French Open in Paris, the only title missing in Nole's record of Grand Slam trophies. But while there is somewhat a sense of urgency to win Roland Garros, Djokovic insisted conquering the event is not an obsession, but more of a wish and a goal for him.
"I don't like the word obsession because it doesn't come from the right emotion. Roland Garros is a wish and it is a goal," Djokovic said.
"Of course, like all players, I do think in advance and try to plan in advance. But when you need to operate as a human machine, you need to do that only in the present moment and in the present time. When that time comes for me, I will start thinking about it more than I do now."
Djokovic starts his Monte Carlo Masters bid against either Jiri Vesely or Teymuraz Gabashvili.