Gilles Simon said on France’s Tennis Magazine podcast “Why I love tennis” that he could start a coaching career when he retires, rather than working as analyst on television.
“As a TV consultant, I think that we are in a passive position. To be a coach, it’s to be active. We will talk to the player to try to find good mechanisms. It’s something that interesets me a lot. I see myself more in the role of an actor rather than a spectator”, said Simon.
However, Simon has ruled out the possibility to work for the French Federation.
“There are people already who are competent for that. There is the training, the technique. I don’t know how to do. There are people who better master that aspect of tennis rather than me”.
Simon is planning to continue playing tennis as long as he enjoys playing tennis and his body allows him to play. The 35-year-old French player turned pro in 2002 and still remains in the top 100 at world number 63. He broke in the top 10 in 2008 after beating Roger Federer in Toronto and Rafael Nadal in Madrid. He qualified for the 2008 Nitto ATP Finals, beating Federer in the round robin before losing to Novak Djokovic in the three-set semifinal. He clinched the biggest of his 14 ATP titles in Hamburg 2011 and earned his 400th career win over Stan Wawrinka at 2016 Masters 1000 tournament in Shanghai. He advanced to Grand Slam quarter finals at 2009 Australian Open and 2015 Wimbledon and played 13 Grand Slam matches that exceeded 4 hours and reached two Masters 1000 finals in Madrid 2008 and in Shanghai 2014. In the Chinese tournament he lost the final against Roger Federer in two tie-break sets.
In 2020 Simon advanced to Marseille semifinal or better for the fifth time before losing to Felix Auger Aliassime. The French veteran beat Danil Medvedev in Marseille quarter final to achieve his biggest win since Shanghai 2016. He reached the second round at the Australian Open and at the US Open.
“I will continue as long as it makes sense. I love to play tennis, although it drives you crazy. I will play as long as I am up to it, both mentally and physically”.
