Caroline Garcia hasn’t had a very good season so far, and after continued struggles, the French player parted ways with her coach, Bertrand Perret, after three years of working together.
Caroline Garcia has had one of the most bizarre career trajectories we’ve seen in tennis. Seven years ago, in 2017, Garcia experienced her first major breakout. She won a couple of big events and improved her ranking dramatically, finishing the year as world number 8.
The following year, the French player kept up the high level, adding a couple more good results, with her ranking peaking at number 4 in 2018. She wouldn’t keep that ranking, though, as she faltered towards the end of the year, finishing as world number 19. Then came the struggles.
She would finish 2019 at number 46 in the world, 2020 at number 43 in the world, and 2021 at number 74. Then, she had a second major breakout in 2022, playing superb tennis once more and improving her ranking dramatically. She would finish that year at number 4, which tied her career-best ranking she had a couple of years before that.
That run came out of nowhere, but it coincided with her hiring a new coach and letting go of her father, who was her coach for basically her entire life up until that point. She was enjoying tennis again, but again it wouldn’t last too long. The next season was a bit more of a struggle, and she finished the year at number 20..
This year hasn’t been that great for her either because so far she’s been able to win 16 matches and lose 16 of them. That’s a far cry from last year when she won 40 matches and lost 28, and certainly a far cry from the year before when she won 47 matches. The form recently hasn’t been good either.
Her US Open campaign ended in the first round with a loss to Renata Zarazua, which is a really horrible loss for the French player. It prompted her to do something drastic, which shocked a lot of people, but it can be understood. Garcia has let go of her coach, who worked with her over the past three years.
While he did preside over her turning things around at the start of their work together, she’s been slowly tending in the wrong direction for a very long time. Garcia herself announced on social media, thanking the coach for everything.
After 3 unique years, Bertrand and I have decided to stop working together. Bertrand, you have been an incredible coach, with whom I have achieved so many great things, and I will always be eternally grateful for it. But more important than that, you have been a true friend, someone who has been by my side on some of my best days as a pro, but also in some of my worst ones, not only as a player but also as a human being.
And you have always been supporting me unconditionally. You have helped me deliver some of my best tennis while also showing me that if you can’t enjoy the process, it’s not worth it. I wish you all the best for the next stage of your career. Whoever has the chance to work with you will be incredibly lucky. Me, I’m happy to say that not only I found a great coach, but also one of the best friends I have. Thank you for everythi
Garcia has some big weeks coming up. She’s got plenty of points to defend, and if she doesn’t find some sort of form, she’ll be out of the Top 50.
