The Fédération Française de Tennis announced a significant organizational restructure on August 26, 2026, shifting the roles of top-level figures to bolster both its international influence and domestic elite pathway. Former world No. 6 Gilles Simon has been appointed as the new Director of High Performance, while former world No. 3 Ivan Ljubičić transitions from his previous high-performance duties into a specialized presidential advisory role, according to official federation communications reported by outlets including Le Figaro.
Gilles Simon Takes Charge of High Performance and Field Operations
Gilles Simon is set to take over as the Director of High Performance, bringing two decades of professional circuit experience directly to the organization’s training grounds. According to federation announcements detailed by Le Reporter Sablais, Simon’s mandate centers heavily on field work and the day-to-day mentorship of high-potential players. His schedule features a reinforced presence across the two primary National Training Centers (CNE) operated by the FFT in Paris and Poitiers.
FFT President Gilles Moretton emphasized the value of Simon’s playing background, stating that his experience at the absolute summit of the sport and his readiness to impart knowledge will prove invaluable to the next generation. Simon expressed eagerness to tackle the challenge, highlighting his desire to work closely with the country’s rising talents. To execute this mission, Simon will not work in isolation. Federation disclosures confirm he will operate in tight coordination with the National Technical Directorate (DTN), encompassing national team captains for both men’s and women’s squads, CNE coaching staff, and regional FFT delegates deployed across French territories. Furthermore, the federation indicated that other former French champions could join Simon to reinforce this collective support structure.
Ivan Ljubičić Shifts to Presidential Special Advisor for International Strategy
While Simon takes over ground-level operations, Ivan Ljubičić is altering his scope within French tennis. Having served as high-performance director since late 2022, Ljubičić moves into the position of special advisor to FFT President Gilles Moretton. In this capacity, the former coach of Roger Federer will target complex international stakes, diplomatic relations across professional circuits—particularly focusing on the newly announced Grand Slam Player Council—and overarching strategies for the French elite level.
Moretton explained that the federation deliberately sought to evolve Ljubičić’s role to leverage his extensive global network and deep familiarity with the modern tennis ecosystem. In an era of rapid shifts within international tennis governance, Ljubičić’s institutional knowledge is designed to anchor the FFT’s strategic positioning on the world stage while continuing to advise on top-tier domestic progression.
A Collective Restructuring Aimed at Elite Development
The simultaneous appointments signal a dual-pronged approach by the governing body: pairing a globally connected diplomat for elite international relations with a hands-on tactician dedicated to domestic youth development. By dividing responsibilities between Ljubičić’s high-level diplomatic portfolio and Simon’s localized court presence in Paris and Poitiers, the FFT aims to accompany the best young French talents and give them every chance to perform at the highest level.
The federation has not yet announced a timeline for the formal onboarding of additional former champions who may assist Simon, nor have specific performance metrics for the restructured high-performance department been made public. Stakeholders and observers will monitor the national training centers for the immediate impact of Simon’s tactical philosophy as the professional tennis calendar advances.
Worth a look
