Roger Federer is one of the biggest names to emerge from the world of tennis but one player believes the attention placed on the Swiss Maestro has in some way had a negative impact on the sport.
Gilles Simon wrote extensively about what he describes as the ‘Federer myth’ in his autobiography Ce Sport Qui Vous Rend Fou (This Sport that Makes You Crazy). Speaking to Le Parisien, the former world No.6 said he believes the hype surrounding Federer has resulted in other players being overlooked. Simon has played the 20-time Grand Slam winner nine times over a 10-year period and won only two of their meetings back in 2008.
“I have nothing against Roger Federer personally, but [have something] against the image we have of him,” he told the newspaper.
“For decades, it has been believed that only Federers should be trained. And he, with his style of play, his way of going forward, the confidence he exudes, came to validate these choices. He made us lose 20 years!”
The 35-year-old Frenchman argues that greater focus should be placed on other players and how they have managed to come out on the top of the sport with their own methods. Making a direct reference to Rafael Nadal who recently drew level with Federer’s record all-time Grand Slam tally. The Spaniard in the only player in history to have won the same major, the French Open, 13 times.
“In France, everyone wants Federer: parents, coaches… We don’t realise that Rafael Nadal has won so many Grand Slams (20) by doing something quite different. That’s why it would help if Federer’s records fell because we’d finally have to see the others. We weren’t lucky enough to have a Federer. But why haven’t we had a [Marin] Cilic?” Simon points out.
Federer is a member of the prestigious Big Three along with Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Between them they have won 57 Grand Slam titles since Wimbledon 2003 and won 99 Masters 1000 trophies. During that period only Stan Wawrinka and Andy Murray have managed to win a major on multiple occasions.
Although Simon cites the example set by Marin Cilic, who won the 2014 US Open and was runner-up at two other Grand Slams in 2017 and 2018. He believes Cilic’s mental approach is one that should also be taken by his fellow countrymen on the Tour.
“Despite the Big 3, Cilic won a Grand Slam and made two finals. Why? It’s not about his forehand, his game and even less his physique. But in his mind, he’s stronger than us. Four levels above,” he said.
“We (French players) have beaten Cilic many times, but when we got to a little more important matches like in the Davis Cup, he beat us every time. Was Jo [Wilfred Tsonga] less strong? No. But he didn’t win. And so we are going to talk about the mind again. There it is, it’s cultural, French athletes are not mentally tough!”
Elaborating further about the state of French tennis, Simon has suggested that there needs to be a rethink when it comes to how the younger players enter the sport. At present the country has 11 men ranked in the top 100 with Gael Monfils the only one in the top 20. Simon is currently ranked 58th himself.
“You have to question priorities, the work of coaches and their speech. The famous “you have to get into the top 100” drives me crazy. A kid would never think about it at 12, when he wants to be number 1, but that becomes his goal at 18. Do you know a lot of players who become number one by aiming for the 100? I know the opposite,” Simon concluded.
Simona has achieved a win-loss of 10-10 so far this season and recently reached the quarter-finals in Cologne.
