Roland-Garros (France 2) – Amélie Mauresmo: "This tournament has made me dream since I was little."

Amelie Mauresmo

With Guy Forget gone (he’s been a Prime Video consultant for two weeks), Amélie Mauresmo, new director of Roland-Garros: “Since I was little, this tournament made me dream. It created a profession in me. » This designation makes her the first woman to preside over one of the four Grand Slam tournaments. A woman of faith: “I want to be able to take action on filling the stadium. (Many players complain about empty boxes, editor’s note, especially at noon), also about the responsible and united aspect of the tournament. Especially at the level of health, sport and the environment. We also want to re-imagine the children. After Covid, we must put the stars in your eyes again. »

CARLOS ALCARAZ, the new Spanish genius

The 19-year-old from Murcia, Spain, draws all eyes and resembles the young Rafael Nadal in both his physique and his determination on the pitch. At the beginning of April, he had already joined his idol as one of the three youngest winners of the Masters 1000, a category just below the Grand Slam tournaments in Miami. He even confirmed it in Madrid on 8 May. “Rafa”‘s uncle, Toni Nadal, is right: “Carlos has a head well built to withstand the pressure, compliments, and expectations of his tennis.” Hey!

PAPILER is resisting

Despite the rise of the young guard (Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Stéfanos Tsitsipás, Andrey Rublev, Daniil Medvedev…), Rafael Nadal (35) and Novak Djokovic (35, May 22) are not willing to give up. The first player to be defeated by the Serbian in the semi-finals last year, he hopes to regain his crown. The latter intends to equal the Spaniard’s record of Grand Slam victories (21). Swiss Roger Federer (40) continues his knee rehabilitation.

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA, the last

This is his fifteenth and last Roland-Garros. At 37, Tsonga will retire after the tournament. “My body is telling me to stop,” Manceau says. That doesn’t detract from his hopes of reaching the semi-finals in 2013 and 2015, having “one last bit of excitement” at a stadium where he’s had some of his best feelings.

GAËL MONFILS, on behalf of his wife

The existence of Ukrainian actress Elina Svitolina is uncertain, as she is exhausted from recurring back pain and devastated by what is going on in her country. A lingering doubt in the words of her husband, Gaël Monfils: “I’m trying to support her, I’m trying to carry her. From this situation, the unpredictable 35-year-old champion could have taken advantage of that to spark this year. And so give your wife a smile.

Frederic Lohezic