The attack was a direct frontal assault. Jean-Francois Caujolle, the CEO of the ATP tournament in Marseille, has shockingly and strongly criticized Patrick Mouratoglou, accusing him of prioritizing his own interests over those of tennis.
Caujolle blamed the former coach of Serena Williams and Simona Halep for the timing of the Ultimate Tennis Showdown. Caujolle emphasized how Mouratoglou influenced the players’ participation in the ATP 250 event.
According to Caujolle, UTS players had the option to participate in the Open 13, considering the overlap of the tournaments.
“What is the purpose of Mouratoglou as a promoter? In my opinion, he does not promote tennis. He only promotes his own interests. There is a UTS stadium in Oslo, with some players who could have come to the Open 13. And this is offensive, yes.”
Caujolle: “Il y a une étape de l’UTS à Oslo, avec certains joueurs qui auraient pu venir à l’Open 13. Et ça m’offusque, oui. Quel est l’intérêt du promoteur Mouratoglou ? Pour moi, il ne promeut pas le tennis. Il promeut ses propres intérêts, c’est tout.” https://t.co/iZdYwvb9Yn
A few weeks ago, Mouratoglou once again entered the ongoing and prominent debate about the GOAT. The French coach has previously shared his opinion multiple times, acknowledging Novak Djokovic as the greatest tennis player of all time, without diminishing the achievements of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Through a post, the former coach of the Williams sisters presented a fresh perspective on the discussion: “There is no doubt that Roger’s grace and inspired tennis are unmatched, just as there is no debate about who the GOAT is. In this case, sporting results are the sole measure.”
This opinion, although not explicitly stated, is crystal clear to those familiar with his thoughts.
Previously, the French coach had commented on the matter: “I often hear that what Roger accomplished between 2017 and 2019 is on par with what Novak is currently achieving, and that Roger was a superior player in 2017 and 2018 compared to previous years.
However, I believe there is a significant difference. I think Federer has been a better tennis player since 2018, primarily due to one reason: his backhand. He made a crucial decision to catch the ball much earlier with his backhand and return it flat instead of with spin.
Roger couldn’t win three out of the four Grand Slam tournaments, maintain consistency throughout the year, and truly be a cut above all the players. This did not occur. Nole makes the difference: physically, he is as formidable now as he was at 26.”