“We don’t have any Venus or Serena Williams,” Despite Iga Swiatek’s rise, Nicolas Mahut finds WTA less appealing than the ATP Tour

“We don’t have any Venus or Serena Williams,” Despite Iga Swiatek’s rise, Nicolas Mahut finds WTA less appealing than the ATP Tour

Iga Swiatek, Nicolas Mahut, Serena Williams and Venus Williams

Nicolas Mahut had been busy for quite some time as Director of the Open 2i Angers Arena Loire tournament, which concluded recently. The competition is a WTA 125 tournament played indoors on a hard court. Alycia Parks of the USA emerged as champion after defeating Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the final.

The Frenchman is nowadays trying to contribute to the development of women’s tennis in France. To bring more spectators to the stadium and so that women’s tennis gets its due place in the sporting environment of France, he has started this tournament.

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In a recent interview, Mr. Mahut shared his views about the current state of women’s tennis. He gave his reasons for the huge popularity of men’s tennis and what women’s tennis needs now. He also thinks that women’s tennis is lacking iconic rivalry.

FS Video

“Why has men’s tennis been so incredible in the last ten, fifteen years? Because we had extraordinary ambassadors, whom we may never have again. There, it was a little more difficult for women’s tennis in recent years. We don’t have Serena and Venus Williams anymore. The early 2000s were extraordinary with the Williams, the two Belgians (Clijsters and Henin), Amélie Mauresmo, Mary Pierce, Capriati, Davenport… It was a golden period for women’s tennis,” Nicolas Mahut said.

“There, it’s a little more complicated with the retirement of Barty, Osaka which has ups and downs, Muguruza on alternating current, and Swiatek won but there are not any rivalries. It is difficult to identify and this reflects on the whole. What I wanted by creating this tournament was to help French tennis. Give young players the opportunity to gain experience, improve, earn money, structure themselves, and level up. Collectively, we will manage to make women’s tennis more attractive,” he explained.

Nicolas Mahut is trying to promote the sport in his country. The tournament is trying to build a platform for young talented female players to show their talents.

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Nicolas Mahut is trying hard to make women’s tennis as popular as men’s tennis

Nicolas Mahut (Image Credit: The SportsRush)
Nicolas Mahut (Image Credit: The SportsRush)

Nicolas Mahut is trying to promote the sport in his country. The tournament is trying to build a platform for young talented female players to show their talents.

Nicolas Mahut is famous for playing the longest match in the history of the sport against John Isner in the first round of the 2010 Wimbledon. John Isner defeated Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68. The match took 11 hours and 5 minutes to complete. This record still stands. However, now, the 2019 Australian Open doubles title winner has changed his focus toward women’s tennis. He is trying to bring women’s tennis to par with men’s tennis in terms of popularity.

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