Amelie Maureasmo has been named as the new tournament director of the French Open, becoming the first woman in history to hold the role.
Mauresmo, who won two Grand Slam titles during 2006, takes over from Guy Forget who officially resigned from the position earlier this month after citing communication issues with the head of the French Tennis Federation (FFT). Forget was the tournament director since 2016. The appointment follows a report by newspaper L’Equipe saying that the former player was the preferred choice of FFT chief Gilles Moretton and talk of her potentially taking the role first emerged during the end of October.
“I am very proud to join the Roland-Garros team,” Mauresmo said in a statement. “I have the position of tournament director with clear ambitions. I will carry them out with the same high standards, freedom and passion that has always driven me.”
Mauresmo won 25 WTA titles during her career, including the Australian Open and Wimbledon during 2006. She also held the world No.1 ranking for 39 weeks and is the only player from her country to have held that position since the system was introduced back in the 1970s. After retiring from the sport, she worked as a coach for players such as Andy Murray and Lucas Pouille. She was also offered the role of Davis Cup captain but later declined in order to work with Pouille.
“Amélie is a woman of character, who likes to challenge and likes to be challenged. I am happy and proud that the federation can rely on these talented people,” said Moretton.
In 2018 Mauresmo criticised Forget’s management of the French Open scheduling after the women’s semi-final matches were removed from the showpiece court where the men’s took place. Due to bad weather during the tournament, matches were delayed which caused a backlog.
“What message are we sending by taking the decision to put the two women’s semi-finals at 11 a.m. on the second and third courts?” she wrote on Twitter at the time.
“No match on the centre court?”
“It’s simple to open Lenglen and Chatrier and have the two women’s matches at 1 p.m. followed by the two men’s.”
The 2022 French Open is set to begin on May 16th.
