What Happened to Amélie Mauresmo?

Amélie Mauresmo, born on July 5, 1979, in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France, was inspired to play tennis after watching Yannick Noah win the French Open in 1983. She quickly rose through the junior ranks, winning both the junior French Open and Wimbledon titles in 1996 and being named the ITF Junior World Champion. Mauresmo turned professional in 1993 and made headlines early in her career, reaching her first Grand Slam final at the 1999 Australian Open. During this tournament, she publicly came out as a lesbian, becoming one of the few prominent female athletes to do so while actively competing.

Her professional playing career was marked by powerful groundstrokes, particularly her one-handed backhand, and an all-court game. Mauresmo first ascended to the world No. 1 ranking on September 13, 2004, holding it for a total of 39 weeks. Her most successful year came in 2006 when she clinched both the Australian Open and Wimbledon Championships singles titles, defeating Justine Henin in both finals. She also won the WTA Tour Championships in 2005 and earned a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Following her retirement from professional tennis in December 2009, Mauresmo transitioned into coaching. She notably captained the French Fed Cup (now Billie Jean King Cup) team from 2013 to 2016, leading them to the 2016 final. In a groundbreaking move, she became Andy Murray's coach in June 2014, making her the first female coach to work with a top male player. Under her guidance, Murray reached two Australian Open finals and won his first clay-court titles. She also coached other notable players, including Marion Bartoli and Lucas Pouille.

In December 2021, Mauresmo was appointed the Tournament Director of the French Open, becoming the first woman in the event's history to hold this position. In this role, she is responsible for enhancing the tournament's prestige and operational excellence. As of June 2026, she is actively involved in directing the French Open. During the 2026 tournament, Mauresmo addressed several key issues, including the decision to continue relying on human officials over electronic line-calling on clay courts, citing reliability concerns. She also defended the scheduling of night sessions, particularly regarding the limited number of women's matches, emphasizing overall daily balance and audience preferences. Furthermore, she shut down discussions about potential changes to prize money, stating that it would not be touched.

Mauresmo's leadership at Roland-Garros has been marked by a commitment to the tournament's identity and accessibility, including charity events and initiatives to make the event more inclusive. There were reports in October 2025 that she was in pole position to take over the French Billie Jean King Cup team again, indicating her continued deep involvement in French tennis administration. Her journey exemplifies a continuous dedication to tennis, from a celebrated player to an influential leader shaping the future of one of the sport's most iconic tournaments.