PARIS, December 9, 2021 (FFT Press Release)
At the suggestion of Gilles Moretton, President of the French Tennis Federation, and of Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, Director General of the FFT, the FFT executive board has decided to appoint Amélie Mauresmo as Director of the Roland-Garros tournament until 2024.
Julien Benneteau and Sébastien Grosjean, who captain France’s Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup teams, respectively, have both had their contracts renewed for another 3 years, which will make them the captains of the French tennis teams for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Amélie Mauresmo, the first female Roland-Garros Tournament Director
Amélie Mauresmo will use her wealth of experience at the top of our sport, her leadership, her passion and her determination to push the Roland-Garros tournament even further, boosting its popularity in France and abroad as well as the enthusiasm it incites in both the spectators and the players. At the same time she will consolidate the tournament and its partners’ attachment to its innovative, responsible and philanthropic positioning.
The former world number one (in 2004 and 2006) won two Grand Slam tournaments (Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2006), one Masters (2005), a silver medal at the Athens Olympics (2004) as well as the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas (2003), before bringing her career as a player to a close at the end of the 2009 season.
Amélie was also captain of France’s Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas team from 2013 to 2016. At the same time, she coached Andy Murray (from June 2014 to May 2016), then Lucas Pouille for two seasons (2019 and 2020).
Since the end of her playing career, Amélie Mauresmo has regularly featured as a pundit on television.
Amélie Mauresmo:
“I am extremely proud and honoured that Gilles Moretton and Amélie Oudéa-Castéra wanted me at the helm of this tournament, which holds so many memories for me, both personal and professional. I have clear ambitions in my new role as Tournament Director. I will strive to realise these ambitions with the stringency, freedom and passion that have always motivated me.”
She is the first woman to lead the Roland-Garros tournament.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/Fiv83jZpN3
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) December 9, 2021
Julien Benneteau and Sébastien Grosjean to captain the French teams until the end of 2024
Having originally been appointed in 2019, Julien Benneteau and Sébastien Grosjean, who captain France’s Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas and Davis Cup teams, respectively, have had their contracts renewed for another three years. Within the framework of their extended mission, as well as working closely all year round with the top French players and alongside National Technical Director Nicolas Escudé and High-Performance Director Paul-Henri Mathieu, they will use all their expertise, experience, energy and personality to lead the French national tennis teams over the next three years, including at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Julien Benneteau:
“It is an honour to be able to continue my role as captain of the Billie Jean King Cup team. I would like to thank the FFT and its president Gilles Moretton for their faith in me. The staff, players and I will do everything we can to recover the title we won in 2019. We are fully committed to preparing for and performing to the best of our ability at the Paris 2024 Olympics.”
Sébastien Grosjean:
“I am honoured to have been reappointed as captain of the Davis Cup team and to have the opportunity to lead France’s Olympic men’s team. I would like to thank Gilles Moretton, Nicolas Escudé and the players for their confidence. They know that they can count on my full commitment to the team and to French tennis over the next few years.”
With these appointments, to which a new Rolex Paris Masters Tournament Director will be added in early 2022, the executive board is delighted that the Federation has chosen highly talented and determined candidates, who will work closely with the general management and with the support of all of the FFT staff.
Gilles Moretton:
“As President, I am especially pleased and proud that our Federation will benefit from this new team, which harbours new ambitions for Roland-Garros with Amélie Mauresmo, and, thanks to our two captains, an even stronger desire than ever to prepare the French teams so that they can triumph at the important events scheduled between now and 2024.”
