Amélie Mauresmo resigns as France's Davis Cup captain to take over the coaching of Lucas Pouille

Former top-ranked tennis star Amélie Mauresmo has made an unexpected career shift, stepping away from her position as captain of the French Davis Cup team to coach Lucas Pouille. Pouille, who currently sits at 32nd in the world rankings, is coming off a strong performance at the Open Sud de France where he beat Richard Gasquet to claim his fifth career ATP singles title. Mauresmo is well-versed in individual coaching, having previously guided Andy Murray in 2014.

At 39, Mauresmo made history last June by becoming the first female coach for the French Davis Cup team. However, the French Tennis Federation has now confirmed that she has decided to move on from this role.

Mauresmo, who previously led the French Fed Cup team, was set to succeed Yannick Noah as Davis Cup captain. Noah, serving his third stint as captain, had faced a disheartening end to his tenure following France's defeat against Croatia in last month's finals.

The French Tennis Federation expressed their support for Mauresmo's decision to coach Lucas Pouille, noting that the move is in the best interest of the player's development. Pierre Schrewer, the National Technical Director, stated that the search for a new Davis Cup captain is already underway. The incoming leader will not only manage the team but also oversee their preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Schrewer added that Mauresmo is the ideal person to fill the void left by Emmanuel Planque in Pouille's coaching staff, wishing that their partnership brings more silverware to France.

Since 2019, the Davis Cup—a prestigious tournament with a rich 118-year history—is undergoing a radical transformation. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has decided to compress the competition, which previously ran from January to November, into a single week. This overhaul is backed by a 25-year, $3 billion investment from the Spanish firm Cosmos. However, the move has sparked backlash from tennis enthusiasts and players alike, including Lucas Pouille and Amélie Mauresmo, who argue that the spirit of the tournament is being sacrificed for financial gain. The first iteration of this new format will debut in Madrid next November. Mauresmo expressed her sadness over the change, noting that the younger generation will lose the unique thrill of following the traditional Davis Cup journey on television.

Lucas Pouille took to Twitter to share his excitement about partnering with Mauresmo, stating that her vast experience in the game will be instrumental in taking his career to the next level.