Q.) What made you want to start coaching, and what key things do all successful coaches need to do?
A.) After my career as a pro, I wanted to transfer my knowledge and experience so I created an academy in the South-West of France in 1999. A coach needs to have the passion to train, a good level of emphasis and a general knowledge of all fields of performance to be able to surround themselves with good specialists in different areas.
Q.) You have coached two Canadian players – Vasek Pospisil and Felix Auger Aliassime. Canada have produced an influx of players in recent years – Milos Raonic, Denis Shapovalov, Pospisil, Aliassime, Bianca Andreescu and Leylah Fernandez. Why do they think Tennis Canada is having so much success?
A.) Definitely. Louis Borfiga and all the people working at Tennis Canada were able to structure from the bottom to the top, to bring tennis in Canada to the top level.
Q.) You coached Caroline Garcia in the early stages of her career – she had a fantastic 2017, winning two hard-court titles in China, before being ranked fourth in the world at the start of 2018. Now ranked 46th, what do you think Caroline has to develop in her game to challenge for titles regularly and climb the rankings again?
A.) She is an incredible athlete, with firepower in every shot. So, from my point of view, she has to improve tactically to be able to be more consistent in her results. I am confident that she can do it.
Q.) Who is the most naturally gifted player you have coached, and why?
A.) Felix Auger-Aliassime is definitely the one so far, exceptional athlete. He is also great mentally after his very good education. He knows where he wants to go without doubt.
Q.) If you were to start coaching a new player, would you ever coach them into playing a different style of tennis, or is it a case of refining the weaker parts of their current game and making them a better all-round player?
A.) I like the process to work with a new player, you need to have a vision and step-by- step process to bring all the pieces of the puzzles together, to improve a player all-round. I always start to strengthen the natural qualities instead of refining weaker parts.
Q.) Auger-Aliassime reminds me a lot of Gael Monfils – bringing entertainment, energy and emotion to the courts. At just 19-years-old, Felix is already ranked 20th in the world – you must be excited about the future and believe he can go onto achieve big things?
A.) I am lucky to work with such a player, he has two main tennis coaches (Guillaume Marx and myself) and as a team we believe that Felix has a great potential. Our job is to focus on the process to help him to achieve big things
Q.) When coaching a player like Felix, who has enormous amounts of potential, do you set out long-term targets…or is it a case of just working hard and taking each tournament as it comes?
A.) Coaching is about a process, coaches are the guardian of it.
Q.) If you could coach one player, past or present, who and why?
A.) Roger Federer, to just enjoy.
Q.) The new crop of women players coming through are so exciting to watch, Bianca Andreescu, Jelena Ostapenko, Naomi Osaka and Sofia Kenin are already grand slam champions. Is there a youngster you particularly like to watch and think could win multiple grand slams?
A.) I like to watch Andreescu, she is bringing emotions on the court and has an amazing variety in her game, with a great touch, too.
Q.) If there is an aspiring Tennis coach reading this, what advice would you give them?
A.) Keep learning all the aspects of the game and take care of your personal development.
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