Considered one of the greatest hopes of French tennis, Olivier Mutis has finally never confirmed his talent. He did however achieve a few feats like facing Andy Roddick in 2004.
Naturally gifted for tennis, Olivier Mutis will never have adapted to the environment, to the constraints demanded by high-level sport. The Frenchman was however designated by his adversaries as the most gifted.
A year later, he hangs up, at 26
If he has not won any ATP title, he has, nevertheless, achieved some exploits that are remembered as this victory in the 2nd round of Roland Garros against Andy Roddick. Last American representative, Andy Roddick is world number 2 and decided to carry the American colors far in the tournament.
In recent weeks, he has shown clear progress on clay, he is more patient, his service is better. From the outset, he seeks to destabilize the Frenchman with lateral trajectories, he also tries to put effect in his balls, but Olivier Mutis read his game perfectly, returns to perfection and will keep this regularity until the end.
Led 2 sets to 1, the Frenchman was never discouraged to win in five sets (3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2). After easily eliminating, in the wake of the American, Fabrice Santoro, Olivier Mutis will then reach the round of 16 where he will lose in four sets against the Argentinian Juan Ignacio Chela (4-6, 6-2, 7- 6, 6-2).
This prestigious victory in the 2nd round against Andy Roddick and this journey to the round of 16, his best Grand Slam result, will not act as the hoped-for trigger, the Frenchman will later recognize that he had mismanaged the aftermath. Roland-Garros and, a year later, Olivier Mutis definitively stops professional tennis. At only 26 years old.
