Sometimes ATP World Tour professionals commit nice gestures and no one notices. Other times, they receive a touching thank-you letter that lets them know just how much they're appreciated.
During his second-round match at the 2016 Australian Open, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga stopped play and helped a tearful ball girl who had just been hit in the face by a ball. The Frenchman walked over to the girl, who was standing behind him, wrapped her arm around his and walked her off the court so she could receive help.
The gesture was lauded by journalists and on social media, and Tsonga was praised as a gentleman. “It's just normal. She was really in trouble and the eyes were a bit [teary]. It was just normal to help her to go out of the stadium. I hope she's going well now,” Tsonga said last year after the match, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
On Sunday, Tsonga shared the “Merci” note the ball girl, whose name is Giuliana, had sent to him. “Dear Mr Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you for helping me out on court during your round 2 match of the Australian Open 2016,” the letter begins. “I'm not sure if you remember me but I was the ballgirl you escorted off court. I would also like to take the opportunity to apologise for the times when you asked for the ball but I did not service it to you or acknowledge you.”
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Giuliana continued, explaining why she might have been off her game that day. “I had picked up a virus which I was unaware of and it caused me to become dizzy and lightheaded. This also affected my vision and hearing,” she wrote. “I apologise for not being able to perform my duties as a ballkid to the high standards that are expected.
“Thank you so much for the kindness that you showed me. I really appreciate that you were able to see that I needed some help and were kind enough to escort me off court.”
Giuliana concluded the note with a good-luck message to Tsonga, who plays Stan Wawrinka in the Australian Open quarter-finals on Tuesday. “Congratulations on making it to the next round. I wish you all the best for your upcoming games and I hope you are able to make it to the very end of the Australian Open!
“Thank-you again, from
“Giuliana AO Ballkid no. 180.”
Thank you very much for your letter Giuliana !!! #Remember #AustOpen2016 pic.twitter.com/0dBNXGUFxP
— Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (@tsonga7) January 22, 2017
