Tsonga looking for fun as French Open starts

[1]

Local favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has virtually no chance of winning this year's French Open title but he will try to at least enjoy himself when he starts his campaign on Sunday.

The fifth seed, who said last week that no Frenchman could prevail at Roland Garros this year, will be third on Court Philippe Chatrier against Russian Andrey Kuznetsov as the big guns wait for their bow later in the week.

"I don't have any pressure. For me it's just a pleasure to be here," Tsonga, who loves to dart around the court and thrill the crowd, told reporters.

Australian Samantha Stosur, the sixth seed and 2010 runner-up, will open proceedings on centre court against Britain's Elena Baltacha before the ninth-seeded Argentine Juan Martin del Potro takes on claycourt specialist Albert Montanes of Spain.

American Venus Williams, the world number 52 after she missed almost seven months of competitive tennis after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue, will be last on Chatrier against Argentine Paula Ormaechea.

Former champions Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia and Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain were both scheduled to play on Court Suzanne Lenglen, against Croatian Mirjana Lucic and Frenchman Jonathan Dasnieres de Veigy respectively.