AFP - Jo-Wilfried Tsonga dares believe he can make another significant challenge for the first Grand Slam title of the year after an impressively one-sided winning start to the new season at the Qatar Open on Monday.
The 2008 Australian Open finalist from France also hopes the worst of his recurring knee injury problems may be behind him after needing less than an hour to wrap up a 6-2, 6-0 win over Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo, the world number 77 from Spain, in the first round.
Tsonga, who did well in Australia again last year, reaching the semi-finals, was in trampling form. He took the last seven games in a row, finding some brilliant ground stroke angles and launching some unstoppably heavy first serves.
"I played good tennis, I played a very good match," said the Switzerland-based man from Le Mans. "I'm really happy with the way I started, and I'm hoping it will continue like this.
"It's the first time I have been here, and I feel very comfortable. Everyone is friendly, and I like the centre court, so I think I should have a good tournament."
Tsonga was understandably less forthcoming when it came to describing in any detail the state of his knee. All that he would venture was that he had not competed for two months but that he had been training well.
That impression was given by one brilliant shot in particular -- an amazing running forehand pass which secured a double break and a 3-0 lead in the second set, effectively ending the match as a contest.
To do it Tsonga moved sideways at great speed, and although he was still moving at full tilt when he hit the ball he had the balance and control to squeeze it into a narrow gap between the onrushing Hidalgo and the sideline.
"I may be healthier than before, and, you know, I just enjoy every moment on the court, and that's it. I hope it will continue," he said.
But one suspects that no-one, not even Tsonga, can know for sure how his knee will hold up. He thought he would be all right when he returned from a three-month lay-off after Wimbledon, but he was wrong.
He managed only nine matches before he took another injury-enforced break, causing him to miss the Davis Cup final, and possibly costing France its chance of winning the competition.
He last competed in Montpellier at the end of October when he lost in the semi-finals to his compatriot Gael Monfils, which means he cannot know how his body will react to prolonged pressure.
"Of course it's not really easy to come back after long weeks without competition," he admitted. "But now I feel good. I'm completely fit."
Another leading player whose 2010 hopes were spoiled by injury, Nikolay Davydenko, entertains similar prospects of revival after making a comparably satisfactory start to the new season.
The fourth-seeded Russian has been bothered by wrist problems since early last year, and has fallen from world number three to 22 in the rankings. But he performed well in a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Fabio Fognini, the world number 55 from Italy.
"I'm enjoying coming back to where I played well before," said Davydenko, who was in sensational form to beat both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and win the Qatar Open last year.
"If I can get wins and my confidence comes back maybe I can play better and return to the top ten.
"I am not so young any more and I need to recover always with treatment from the physio," the 29-year-old concluded. "But I have no injury now."
Tsonga next plays Sergei Bubka, the Ukrainean wild card player who is the son of the Olympic gold medal winning pole vaulter from the Soviet Union, Sergey Bubka.
Davydenko may meet Jarkko Nieminen, the former top 20 player from Finland.
If he continues to progress, the champion could have a repeat encounter with Nadal, the top seed, in the semi-finals. If Tsonga justifies his seeding he should have a final four meeting with Federer.
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