Former coach of Switzerland’s tennis star Roger Federer, Ivan Ljubicic, believes that French tennis is struggling due to a lack of superstars.
French tennis has also been famous for producing top-quality players in the past. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gael Monfils and Yannick Noah are a few of the players who have made a name for themselves in the world of
tennis, especially in the men’s category.
Ljubicic, who has worked with Swiss legend Federer, was recently quoted in a report as saying that French tennis is struggling because it lacks a superstar compared to Italian tennis, where younger players can look up to someone like Jannik Sinner, who has recently
become the number one player in men’s tennis, overtaking Serbia’s Novak
Djokovic.
"In Italy we know the structure,” he said. “These are
individual projects. Sinner never played a day for the Federation. He
participated in group training sessions and courses, but he never played a day
for the Federation. I don't think that at the top levels both the manager and
the system. It shapes players and their mentality, but at a very, very high
level, it's mostly individual projects.
Jannik Sinner is the first Italian player to become the world number one in professional tennis.
“The Italian Federation is present if the players need
something with their structure, services. But it is above all Jannik Sinner who
cheers them up. He is the point of reference, and this is what is missing in
France. If you look at the top 200, France is better than Italy. But when you
have Sinner, then Matteo Arnaldi or Lorenzo Musetti, who are really strong,
that helps.”
Sinner has been in a phenomenal form this year where he has
already won his first Grand Slam after beating Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in the
final in a five-set thriller with a score of 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
He recently participated in the French Open, where he was
defeated in the semifinal by Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz with a score of 2-6, 6-3,
3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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