Now this is Sportsmanship. Everyone should learn from this!!!

I was watching the match between Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Ryan Harrison yesterday and I saw something that, as a coach, I feel every player should learn from.  Tsonga has always been a player I enjoyed watching, but after his action last night in Madrid, my respect for him is through the roof.  There's a reason why he is one of the "good" guys on the ATP tour and is liked by most.  He is sincere, honest, and plays the game how it should be played.

Check out this video, I apologize as I couldn't find it in English.  Watch from 6:24 in to 7:15.

In a tight situation at at 1-3 Harrison serving in the 2nd set breaker, Ryan hits a dropper that Tsonga didn't get to in time.  The umpire saw it differently and gave the point to Jo-Willie.  Ryan Harrison, was very upset, as he should have been, as it was his point in a most important time in the match.  Jo-Wilfried could have easily walked away, taken the point, and a huge advantage in the match.  Instead, he acknowledged that the ball bounced on his side after he had hit it and then went over, gave Ryan the point, making the match much tighter but understanding that tennis is a sport of honesty.  

I am sure Jo-Willie won't be reading this post, but my players will and so will thousands of people out there.  Learn from the best, not the best players necessarily, but the best people (Jo-Willie is both).  

Thank you Jo-Willie for being a role model for our players.