Among the hundreds of messages that must clump together on Caroline Garcia’s phone, many must arrive from Lyon, her home port. And in particular from Olympique Lyonnais, where she has had strong ties for many years. Her friend Eugénie Le Sommer followed her American exploits from a distance.
Which represents this victory of your girlfriend for you?
EUGENIE LE SOMMER. For me, it was already a crazy thing that she reached the semi-finals. This victory is huge! Winning a Grand Slam is fantastic, but the Masters brings together the eight best players in the world. Somehow it’s a bit like a World Cup. It’s a great performance, I’m very happy for her and also for French tennis. It’s also great for French women’s sport.
What impressed you most about his career?
The way she managed to win such a tournament compared to her results last season. At the beginning of the year, no one would have imagined her winning a major tournament or the Masters, it’s really impressive and surprising. In football, it’s very rare to win a big competition without being expected or starting from so far away.
To what do you attribute his return to the top?
I do not know all the details of her preparation, even if I know that she had changed coach (Bertrand Perret, from whom she separated just before the Masters). I think there is a big part of mental in tennis. In an individual sport, all it takes is a click. In football, even if a player has a click, the collective must follow. Maybe she suddenly felt capable of doing great things, you’ll have to ask her.
“She can inspire young girls and the new generation”
Why did you agree to testify to talk about her?
I always accepted when I was asked to talk about her, I find it important to highlight her performance. I know that women’s sport needs to be exposed. She can inspire young girls and the next generation. We need to highlight performance. In France, we must insist even more. I also hope that it will make the front page of L’Équipe tomorrow! (laughs).
You know it well: this victory at the Masters cannot be a culmination?
I don’t think it’s a culmination. On the contrary, she will tell herself that she can do great things and that she can still continue to win. And I hope that’s what she will say to herself!
