Former world No.1 Amelie Mauresmo has been appointed as tournament director of Roland Garros, becoming the first woman to occupy that position.
The two-time Grand Slam champion Mauresmo replaces Guy Forget, who resigned about three weeks before his contract was set to expire, citing communication issues with new French tennis federation president Gilles Moretton.
The 42-year-old Mauresmo, whose contract runs to 2024, posted on social media:
I am very proud to join the Roland Garros team. I have accepted the position of Tournament Director with clear ambitions. I will carry them out with the same high standards, freedom and passion that have always driven me.
The fact that she’s the first female Roland Garros director and only the second woman to be appointed as a Grand Slam director (joining Stacey Allaster, the US Open tournament director), Mauresmo points out that gender should not be in focus here:
Yes, I am very proud to be the first woman director of Roland Garros, but I also believe that it is necessary to emphasize why I am here, other (reasons) than my gender.
Mauresmo won the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2006, while at her home Grand Slam in Paris her best results were two quarterfinal appearances. The Frenchwoman held the top WTA ranking for 39 weeks.
After retiring in 2009, Mauresmo continued her involvement in tennis by being the coach of Andy Murrey, France’s Fed Cup women’s team captain and TV commentator during the French Open. (source: ESPN, photo: Jimmie48)
