Elected director of Roland Garros, Amélie Mauresmo was the guest of C to you, this Monday, May 16. By becoming the first woman at the head of this tournament, the former world number 1 hopes that her appointment will change mentalities in the sporting world.
Twenty-six years after his first victory on clay at Roland Garros, Amélie Mauresmo was elected at the head of this Grand Slam. A logical continuation for the ex-tenniswoman who lived there “great emotions and great disappointments”. First woman to lead this famous tournamentthe 42-year-old former sportswoman was asked about it by Anne-Élisabeth Lemoine on the set of the show C to youthis Monday, May 16. “We feel that part of you is proud to break the codes but you remember that it was first your abilities that led you there and not your gender“. A sad reality denounced by the former captain of the France Davis Cup team. “To say that we are still saying to ourselves ‘Ah, for the first time it’s a woman’, it’s a bit of a shame“, deplores the mother of Aaron and Ayla. And to add: “Me I’m waiting for the day when we’ll get past it all. We will no longer talk about gender but we will talk about aptitude”.
If it recognizes that the sporting environment “is still a little late” about this question, Amélie Mauresmo nevertheless welcomes this first step taken by her appointment. Therefore, the former coach of Andy Murray does not despair for the years to come. “Maybe in a few years we will meet again and we will talk about something else suddenly”, she wishes with a broad smile. A promising future in which the conductor of the famous talk show likes to believe. “Yes, we’ll say ‘we don’t care! Hey, it’s a man, a woman, who cares!’“. A new era that puts a hell of a setback to stereotypes.
“I have a very strong bond with #Roland Garros. When I was offered to take over from Guy Forget, I didn’t hesitate! But it’s a shame that even today we talk about my gender, less about my skills.”@AmeMauresmodirector of the Roland-Garros tournament, in #ThisYou pic.twitter.com/fQkqjzTUeb
— C to you (@cavousf5) May 16, 2022
Amélie Mauresmo victim of “violent” criticism
Before taking over from Guy Forget as director of Roland Garros, Amélie Mauresmo was the target of “ultra-violent criticism” by becoming Andy Murray’s coach from 2014 to 2016.”It’s been a few years already but it’s true that it was very violent becausebefore I even started I was out of placesimply”, says the tenniswoman with 25 singles titles. By taking on this new role, the sportswoman had to do “to the skeptical and somewhat macho side of this male circuit”. If she has only excellent memories of her collaboration with the Scottish tennis player, this experience was “very complicated” for Amelie Mauresmo.
“If he lost, it was my fault anyway. Even before he lost, it was going to be my fault.”, she confides to the sidekick of Patrick Cohen. Despite these obstacles, she “listened to a little inner voice telling him to work like crazy and keep going”. A bet that turned out to be a winner for Amélie Mauresmo.
Photo credits: Screenshot C à Vous – France 5
Source- https://www.gala.fr/l_actu/news_de_stars/video-cest-un-petit-peu-dommage-amelie-mauresmo-pousse-un-coup-de-gueule-dans-c-a-vous_493909