Cazaux signs a legendary coach and sets an ambitious goal for 2025

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Looking back at the first two months of the season for Arthur Cazaux, the momentum suggested that this man could end the year in a much higher position than what it turned out to be. Starting the year at #130 in the world and finishing at #64 at just 22 years old, with no experience at that level, is truly commendable. It's a pity that all the good things that happened to him in January and February couldn't be sustained over time, hence the significant lessons he will take into 2025, a season where the French fans eagerly await his best performance with open arms.

“This year I experienced all kinds of emotions, both positive and negative. I started very well, winning the title in my first tournament, the Nouméa Challenger. Then I had a great run at the Australian Open with some firsts: first win against a top 10 player, first five-set victory, and first time reaching the second week of a Grand Slam. It was all new to me, and I really enjoyed it,” recalls the Montpellier native in an interview featured by Eurosport France.

“Unfortunately, I couldn't ride the right wave and started feeling unwell in Miami,” reflects the man who reached the fourth round at the Australian Open, Montpellier, and Dubai. “A month later, after my recovery period, I got injured again in my first match in Barcelona, so I was sidelined once more for a month and a half. That was the most negative phase; it wasn't easy. It took me a long time to recover the good physical sensations from the beginning of the year, especially after this ankle problem, I still felt pain, particularly during the grass-court season, so it took me a while to regain those good feelings.”

It was several months of ups and downs for Cazaux, who didn't find his form again until October when he reached the final of a Challenger in Shenzhen – lost to McDonald – and made it to the round of 16 at the Paris-Bercy Masters 1000, defeating Ben Shelton and falling to Holger Rune, the same player he had beaten in that memorable match in Australia. Tennis skills are there, charisma too, and the ranking suggests that 2025 could be a great season to raise the stakes. What does the Frenchman need to improve on?

“I believe I can become more consistent and aggressive on the court; I need it to keep progressing. My big wins at Bercy and in Australia were matches where I pushed my opponents to make mistakes by being very offensive. The issue is that I couldn't replicate it in the following tournaments, but the intention is to achieve it, not just settle for running and being solid. I need to go after the points and wins; this is one of the aspects we will work on refining during the preseason,” states the man who is already the sixth-best player in his country.

NEW COACH TO BREAK THROUGH HIS CEILING

In addition to evolving as a player and learning lessons from success and failure, Arthur Cazaux also experienced firsthand what it means to change coaches midway through the journey. He parted ways with Stéphane Huet and then joined Laurent Raymond, but this partnership didn't work out either. Finally, the chosen one to lead this project was Sam Sumyk, one of the most experienced coaches on the circuit. A man who has guided Grand Slam champions like Victoria Azarenka and Garbiñe Muguruza and now has the challenge of unleashing the talent of this young Frenchman.

“We've talked a lot about work goals but not necessarily about results or rankings. Ultimately, I want to get closer to the top 30 in 2025. I had set the top 50 as my target for this season, but unfortunately, I couldn't achieve it. I made many mistakes that stopped that momentum, but there are no excuses. If I can progress in all aspects, playing in the style I showed at Bercy, there is no reason I can't get closer to the top 30, even if it's an ambitious goal. I'll give it my all to achieve it,” concludes Arthur.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Cazaux ficha a un mítico entrenador y se marca un objetivo ambicioso para 2025