Posts tagged: French Open

Pierce set to bow out

With the French Open upon us, French fans will be hoping to see one of their own be victorious at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris.  In general French tennis players have not done very well on home soil. Yannick Noah in 1983 is the only man to win the French Open since 1946 (when the stadium reopened after World War II). The French women have managed a slightly better record, with three winning since 1946. Mary Pierce was the last Frenchwoman to win in front of home fans in 2000.

Now thirty seven years old Pierce has won 18 Women tennis association single tournaments and 10 double tournaments. Quite sadly Pierce suffered a serious Knee injury in 2006 which in essence brought about the end of her playing career in terms of a professional career and in a competitive nature. Although she still plays many of these are in exhibition matches and in low level tournaments. Since a further injury which occurred in 2008, The French tennis star still insists that she is not ready to stop playing competitively and hopes to return to professional tennis while she still can.

Pierce’s success in Paris in 2000 is the source of inspiration for many current French female tennis players who are hoping to emulate her achievement. Current French tennis professional and world number 8 ‘Marion Bartoli’ has said that she wishes to follow in the footsteps of Pierce and win the French Open in front of her home crowd and to earn her place in French tennis history. In fact Bartoli and Pierce have done some training together and will be part of the coaching set up behind Bartoli’s French Open preparation.