"She can count on me": Gilles Moretton, president of the FFT, supports Caroline Garcia

Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin 17:09 pm, March 29, 2023

The days go by but are not the same for Caroline Garcia. After a culminating end of the 2022 season marked by her victory at the WTA Masters in Fort Worth, Texas, the French tennis player is now suffering from underperformance. Recently separated from her coach Bertrand Perret, the world number 4 has also just announced the departure of her physiotherapist and psychotherapist Laura Le Goupil, jeopardizing her structure that her father was at the origin before passing the hand. Exceptional guest of the program Europe 1 Sport (every evening from 20 hours to 23 hours on Europe 1), the president of the French Tennis Federation (FFT) Gilles Moretton gave him all his support in this "difficult period".

This separation of her staff, with whom Caroline Garcia had found a form of balance, may delay the rebound of the French on the sporting level. Eliminated in the 1st round in Miami and Dubai, in the 2nd round in Doha, and beaten twice in nine days by the Romanian Sorana Cirstea, only 74th in the WTA rankings, the Lyonnaise can nevertheless count on her president. "I'm very close to Caroline. We exchange. I sent her a message of sympathy to tell her that if she needs to exchange and discuss the problems she encounters, she can count on me, "said Gilles Moretton at the microphone of Jacques Vendroux.

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"We'll be behind to help him"

For Gilles Moretton, who "does not know the reason behind the stop with his coach and physio", there is no doubt that Caroline Garcia will regain her former form. "It's a terrible strength of character to come back," he assured Europe 1 Sport. The president of the FFT hopes that his playing partners will give him the same support: "We must continue to trust him," said the latter who tried to analyze this period marked by results at half-mast.

For Gilles Moretton, Caroline Garcia's game, "it's all or nothing. Either she wins or she loses." Her style, carried forward and very aggressive towards her opponent, is very effective when success is on the side of the Frenchwoman. But it is a double-edged sword, especially in periods of doubt as now. "She took an option and said, 'I'm going to play inside the court, I'm going to play an attacking game.' This type of game necessarily takes a lot of risks. And when you take risks, there is a given moment when the switch can be made very, very quickly," said Gilles Moretton. "She would have to have a plan B" in case of failure as currently.

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But for the president of the FFT, Caroline Garcia must in no way upset his game plan and question his style. "When you arrive at fourth place in the world, you can not denigrate his choice," commented the latter who ended up renewing his support for the first French player in the WTA ranking: "I am behind, we will be behind to help her."