Mathias Bourgue Bows Out: "I'm Leaving Competition, But Not the Court"

After more than fifteen years on the circuit, Mathias Bourgue bids farewell to competition. The former world No. 140, hero of an unforgettable Roland-Garros match against Andy Murray, opens a new chapter: that of passing on knowledge, without labels or a set plan.

© David ILIFF https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mathias_Bourgue_2,_2015_Wimbledon_Qualifying_-_Diliff.jpg

Clément Gehl

le 12/12/2025 à 07h44

2 min to read

Bourgue Mathias

Mathias Bourgue, 31 years old, announced on his LinkedIn account his retirement as a professional tennis player. Ranked 140th in 2017, the Frenchman left a mark in 2016 at Roland-Garros, leading 2 sets to 1 against the British player, before losing in 5 sets.

In his announcement, Bourgue paid tribute to his career and revealed his plans for the future: "I spent over fifteen years playing my life, point after point. Today, I turn the page... but I'm not leaving the court.

I'm leaving competition, yes. But I'm taking with me something that few people truly know: how a pro player thinks, feels, decides, absorbs, starts over, and stays clear-headed when everything comes down to a detail.

Tennis taught me to read a situation in one second, to handle pressure when it becomes physical, to move forward when the mind and body no longer follow, to be present when there's no margin left. That's what I want to pass on. Not by becoming a 'mental coach'.

Not by becoming a 'tennis teacher'. Not by sticking a new label on myself. I want to share a high-level experience. For some, it will be a session on the court: feeling the intensity, precision, and demands of a pro.

For others, a conversation about performance, stress, decision-making, confidence, the point that changes everything. For others still, an immersion into routines, invisible mechanics, the simplicity of high-level play. I haven't put a name on it yet.

And I don't want to do it too soon. I just know one thing: I have something to offer. And I want to pass it on. If this speaks to you, whether to understand tennis differently or explore performance from another angle, come. We start with a discussion, and we see how far it can go."