5 supremely talented French players who couldn't break into the top echelons of tennis
Tennis is as much a mental game as it is physical. I believe the former dominates over the latter at the highest level of competition.At this level, every player you face off against will have the desired level of physical strength and endurance. They have practiced every shot their competitors have practiced and spent a long time on court polishing different aspects of their game.Despite this, there is always only one winner. So what is it that separates competitors? What is it that awards one with victory and the other with defeat? The answer is mental toughness.When we analyze mental toughness in detail, we realize this aspect of the game cannot be taught in a few days or years. It is a quality that must be inculcated at the very beginning of one's training. It is something that must be ushered into a player's mind while he is still young.This means a player’s upbringing and his/her initial coaches play a key role in developing this major quality. Statistically speaking, there are a few countries that have a significant number of players in the top 100.At the moment, Spain has twelve, France has ten, the U.S.A. has eight and Argentina has five. The top players in Spain have played some incredible tennis, like Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer. Argentina and U.S.A. have good players but they are just not good enough.If the focus is shifted to France, we see immense talent. The country boasts talent of the likes of Gilles Simon, Richard Gasquet, Gael Monfils, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Jeremy Chardy. These are all match winners. But they are not great players in the rankings, despite having the talent to be so. What is that missing ingredient? It cannot be the place they come from, because France has produced some amazing players like Suzanne Lenglen, Amelie Mauresmo and many more.So why is it that these players in top 20 are not able to enter the elite top 5? Let us find out.
#1 Gilles Simon
Gilles Simon, ranked highest among his compatriots at number 11, is a good player but not as great as he could be.
His stroke making is pleasant. He can vary the pace on the ball very effectively. His first serve speed is above average, in the range of 100mph. The 30-year-old has 12 career singles titles to his name, and an all-time-highest ranking of World No. 6.
Simon has reached the quarter finals of the Australian Open and the Wimbledon. He has played 8 US Opens so far, with this year his 9th. His best performance at the tournament has been to reach the 4th round, which he did in 2011 and 2014. This year Simon is the number 11 seed at the U.S. open.
These facts reveal that Simon is a good player. However, one key attribute that Simon lacks is mental toughness. His Grand Slam results suggest nothing different. Despite having the talent, he has never reached the semi-finals stage in any major. He is certainly the best French player at the moment, but it will take a huge transformation for him to be the best in the world.