Guy Forget
Guy Forget (French: [ɡi fɔʁʒɛ]; born 4 January 1965) is a French tennis administrator and retired professional player. During his career, he helped France win the Davis Cup in both 1991 and 1996. Since retiring as a player, he has served as France's Davis Cup team captain.
Country (sports) | France |
---|---|
Residence | Neuchâtel, Switzerland |
Born | Casablanca, Morocco | 4 January 1965
Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) |
Turned pro | 1982 |
Retired | 1997 |
Plays | Left-handed (one-handed backhand) |
Prize money | $5,669,934 |
Singles | |
Career record | 378–290 (56.6%) |
Career titles | 11 |
Highest ranking | No. 4 (25 March 1991) |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | QF (1991, 1993) |
French Open | 4R (1986, 1991) |
Wimbledon | QF (1991, 1992, 1994) |
US Open | 4R (1992, 1996) |
Other tournaments | |
Tour Finals | RR (1991) |
Grand Slam Cup | QF (1991) |
Olympic Games | QF (1984, demonstration) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 387–182 |
Career titles | 28 |
Highest ranking | No. 3 (18 August 1986) |
Grand Slam doubles results | |
French Open | F (1987, 1996) |
Other doubles tournaments | |
Tour Finals | W (1990) |
Team competitions | |
Davis Cup | W (1991, 1996) |
Career
Forget first came to the tennis world's attention as an outstanding junior player who won the French Open junior title in 1982. He turned professional later that year.
His breakthrough year on the professional tour was 1986 when he made it to the fourth round of Roland Garros, his best grand slam at that point, and won his first top-level singles title in Toulouse, where both his father and grandfather had won, respectively in 1966 and 1946, and where he won again in 1991 and 1992.[1] He was also part of the French team which won the World Team Cup. Forget also won six doubles titles in 1986, reaching his career-high doubles ranking of World Number 3 in August that year, finishing in the runner-up spot with partner Yannick Noah at the 1986 ATP Tour World Championships tournament.
In 1987, Forget and Yannick Noah finished runners-up in the men's doubles at the French Open. In 1990, Forget partnered with Jakob Hlasek to win the ATP Tour World Championships doubles title.
1991 was the most memorable year of Forget's career. He won six singles titles that year, the biggest coming at the ATP Masters Series events in Cincinnati and Paris. In both finals, he defeated Pete Sampras. He reached his career-high singles ranking of World Number 4 in March that year.
Forget was a member of the French team which won the 1991 Davis Cup. In the final, France faced the United States. Forget teamed up with Henri Leconte to win the doubles rubber, and then won the decisive singles rubber against Pete Sampras as France shocked the heavily favoured US team to win 3–1.
1996 was another notable year in Forget's career. Partnering Jakob Hlasek, he again finished runner-up in the men's doubles event at the French Open. He also won what proved to be his last career singles title in Marseille. For a second time, he was on a French team which won the Davis Cup. In the final, he teamed-up with Guillaume Raoux to win a critical doubles rubber, as France defeated Sweden 3–2.
Forget played for France's Davis Cup team for 12 years, compiling a 38–11 record.
Forget retired from the professional tour in 1997. During his career, he won a total of 11 top-level singles titles and 28 doubles titles. His career prize-money earnings totalled US$5,669,934.
After retiring as a player, Forget served as France's Davis Cup team captain. He also served as France's Fed Cup team captain from 1999 to 2004; his best result was France's performance in 2003 (with a squad including Mary Pierce, Amélie Mauresmo, Émilie Loit & Stéphanie Cohen-Aloro) when they defeated USA in the final. However, he resigned in 2004 to focus on his Davis Cup duties,[2] and the French team then lost to Russia in the final (when Marion Bartoli & Émilie Loit lost to Anastasia Myskina & Vera Zvonareva in the last, deciding doubles match).
In 2011, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) presented him with its highest accolade, the Philippe Chatrier Award, for his contributions to tennis.[3]
He joined the directing committee of the French Open in 2011, and in 2012 he became director of the Masters of Paris Bercy.
In 2016, he became director of the French Open after the dismissal of Gilbert Ysern.[4]
To ensure he will never be forgotten, Forget has been immortalized in the song "Guy Forget" by the band Phish, with the lyrics "I never met a man I could not forget, except for Guy Forget".[5]
Grand Slam finals
Doubles (2 runner-ups)
Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 1987 | French Open | Clay | Yannick Noah | Anders Järryd Robert Seguso | 7–6(7–5), 7–6(7–2), 3–6, 4–6, 2–6 |
Loss | 1996 | French Open | Clay | Jakob Hlasek | Yevgeny Kafelnikov Daniel Vacek | 2–6, 3–6 |
ATP World Championships finals
Doubles (1 title, 1 runner-up)
Result | Year | Location | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 1986 | New York City | Yannick Noah | Stefan Edberg Anders Järryd | 3–6, 6–7(2–7), 3–6 |
Win | 1990 | Frankfurt | Jakob Hlasek | Sergio Casal Emilio Sánchez | 6–4, 7–6(7–5), 5–7, 6–4 |
Career finals
Singles (11 titles, 8 runners-up)
|
|
Result | W/L | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1–0 | Oct 1986 | Toulouse, France | Hard (i) | Jan Gunnarsson | 4–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
Win | 2–0 | Mar 1989 | Nancy, France | Hard (i) | Michiel Schapers | 6–3, 7–6(7–5) |
Loss | 2–1 | Nov 1989 | Wembley, England | Carpet | Michael Chang | 2–6, 2–6, 1–6 |
Loss | 2–2 | Apr 1990 | Nice, France | Clay | Juan Aguilera | 6–2, 3–6, 4–6 |
Win | 3–2 | Sep 1990 | Bordeaux, France | Clay | Goran Ivanišević | 6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 4–2 | Jan 1991 | Sydney Outdoor, Australia | Hard | Michael Stich | 6–3, 6–4 |
Win | 5–2 | Feb 1991 | Brussels, Belgium | Carpet | Andrei Cherkasov | 6–3, 7–5, 3–6, 7–6(7–4) |
Loss | 5–3 | Mar 1991 | Indian Wells, US | Hard | Jim Courier | 6–4, 3–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–7(4–7) |
Win | 6–3 | Aug 1991 | Cincinnati, US | Hard | Pete Sampras | 2–6, 7–6(7–4), 6–4 |
Win | 7–3 | Sep 1991 | Bordeaux, France | Hard | Olivier Delaître | 6–1, 6–3 |
Win | 8–3 | Oct 1991 | Toulouse, France | Hard (i) | Amos Mansdorf | 6–2, 7–6(7–4) |
Win | 9–3 | Nov 1991 | Paris, France | Carpet | Pete Sampras | 7–6(11–9), 4–6, 5–7, 6–4, 6–4 |
Loss | 9–4 | Jan 1992 | Sydney Outdoor, Australia | Hard | Emilio Sánchez | 3–6, 4–6 |
Win | 10–4 | Oct 1992 | Toulouse, France | Hard (i) | Petr Korda | 6–3, 6–2 |
Loss | 10–5 | Nov 1992 | Stockholm, Sweden | Carpet | Goran Ivanišević | 6–7(2–7), 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 2–6 |
Loss | 10–6 | Nov 1992 | Paris, France | Carpet | Boris Becker | 6–7(3–7), 3–6, 6–3, 3–6 |
Loss | 10–7 | Jul 1994 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | Sergi Bruguera | 6–3, 5–7, 2–6, 1–6 |
Loss | 10–8 | Jun 1995 | London/Queen's Club, England | Grass | Pete Sampras | 6–7(3–7), 6–7(6–8) |
Win | 11–8 | Feb 1996 | Marseille, France | Hard (i) | Cédric Pioline | 7–5, 6–4 |
Titles (28)
Result | W/L | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1. | 1985 | Stockholm, Sweden | Hard (i) | Andrés Gómez | Mike De Palmer Gary Donnelly |
6–3, 6–4 |
Win | 2. | 1985 | Wembley, England | Carpet | Anders Järryd | Boris Becker Slobodan Živojinović |
7–5, 4–6, 7–5 |
Win | 3. | 1986 | La Quinta, US | Hard | Peter Fleming | Yannick Noah Sherwood Stewart |
6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 4. | 1986 | Metz, France | Carpet | Wojtek Fibak | Francisco González Michiel Schapers |
2–6, 6–2, 6–4 |
Win | 5. | 1986 | Monte Carlo, Monaco | Clay | Yannick Noah | Joakim Nyström Mats Wilander |
6–4, 3–6, 6–4 |
Win | 6. | 1986 | Rome, Italy | Clay | Yannick Noah | Mark Edmondson Sherwood Stewart |
7–6, 6–2 |
Win | 7. | 1986 | London/Queen's Club, England | Grass | Kevin Curren | Darren Cahill Mark Kratzmann |
6–2, 7–6 |
Win | 8. | 1986 | Basel, Switzerland | Hard (i) | Yannick Noah | Jan Gunnarsson Tomáš Šmíd |
7–6, 6–4 |
Win | 9. | 1987 | Lyon, France | Carpet | Yannick Noah | Kelly Jones David Pate |
4–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
Win | 10. | 1987 | Indian Wells, US | Hard | Yannick Noah | Boris Becker Eric Jelen |
6–4, 7–6 |
Win | 11. | 1987 | Forest Hills, US | Clay | Yannick Noah | Gary Donnelly Peter Fleming |
4–6, 6–4, 6–1 |
Win | 12. | 1987 | Rome, Italy | Clay | Yannick Noah | Miloslav Mečíř Tomáš Šmíd |
6–2, 6–7, 6–3 |
Win | 13. | 1987 | London/Queen's Club, England | Grass | Yannick Noah | Rick Leach Tim Pawsat |
6–4, 6–4 |
Win | 14. | 1988 | Indian Wells, US | Hard | Boris Becker | Jorge Lozano Todd Witsken |
6–4, 6–4 |
Win | 15. | 1988 | Orlando, US | Hard | Yannick Noah | Sherwood Stewart Kim Warwick |
6–4, 6–4 |
Win | 16. | 1988 | Nice, France | Clay | Henri Leconte | Heinz Günthardt Diego Nargiso |
4–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
Win | 17. | 1990 | Stuttgart Indoor, Germany | Carpet | Jakob Hlasek | Michael Mortensen Tom Nijssen |
6–3, 6–2 |
Win | 18. | 1990 | Indian Wells, US | Hard | Boris Becker | Jim Grabb Patrick McEnroe |
4–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 19. | 1990 | Long Island, US | Hard | Jakob Hlasek | Udo Riglewski Michael Stich |
2–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
Win | 20. | 1990 | Tokyo Indoor, Japan | Carpet | Jakob Hlasek | Scott Davis David Pate |
7–6, 7–5 |
Win | 21. | 1990 | Stockholm, Sweden | Carpet | Jakob Hlasek | John Fitzgerald Anders Järryd |
6–4, 6–2 |
Win | 22. | 1990 | Sanctuary Cove, Australia | Hard | Jakob Hlasek | Emilio Sánchez Sergio Casal |
6–4, 7–6, 5–7, 6–4 |
Win | 23. | 1991 | Bordeaux, France | Hard | Arnaud Boetsch | Patrik Kühnen Alexander Mronz |
6–2, 6–2 |
Win | 24. | 1993 | Indian Wells, US | Hard | Henri Leconte | Luke Jensen Scott Melville |
6–4, 7–5 |
Win | 25. | 1994 | Halle, Germany | Grass | Olivier Delaître | Henri Leconte Gary Muller |
6–4, 6–7, 6–4 |
Win | 26. | 1994 | Long Island, US | Hard | Olivier Delaître | Andrew Florent Mark Petchey |
6–4, 7–6 |
Win | 27. | 1994 | Bordeaux, France | Hard | Olivier Delaître | Diego Nargiso Guillaume Raoux |
6–2, 2–6, 7–5 |
Win | 28. | 1995 | Milan, Italy | Carpet | Boris Becker | Petr Korda Karel Nováček |
6–2, 6–4 |
Runners-up (17)
Result | W/L | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 1. | 1984 | Bordeaux, France | Clay | Loïc Courteau | Pavel Složil Blaine Willenborg |
1–6, 4–6 |
Loss | 2. | 1985 | Nice, France | Clay | Loïc Courteau | Claudio Panatta Pavel Složil |
6–3, 3–6, 6–8 |
Loss | 3. | 1986 | Memphis, US | Carpet | Anders Järryd | Ken Flach Robert Seguso |
4–6, 6–4, 6–7 |
Loss | 4. | 1986 | Itaparica, Brazil | Hard | Loic Courteau | Chip Hooper Mike Leach |
5–7, 3–6 |
Loss | 5. | 1986 | Masters Doubles, London | Carpet | Yannick Noah | Stefan Edberg Anders Järryd |
3–6, 6–7, 3–6 |
Loss | 6. | 1987 | French Open, Paris | Clay | Yannick Noah | Anders Järryd Robert Seguso |
7–6, 7–6, 3–6, 4–6, 2–6 |
Loss | 7. | 1987 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | Loic Courteau | Jan Gunnarsson Tomáš Šmíd |
6–7, 2–6 |
Loss | 8. | 1988 | Toulouse, France | Hard (i) | Mansour Bahrami | Tom Nijssen Ricki Osterthun |
3–6, 4–6 |
Loss | 9. | 1991 | Indian Wells, US | Hard | Henri Leconte | Jim Courier Javier Sánchez |
6–7, 6–3, 3–6 |
Loss | 10. | 1991 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | Jakob Hlasek | Gary Muller Danie Visser |
6–7, 4–6 |
Loss | 11. | 1992 | Brussels, Belgium | Carpet | Jakob Hlasek | Boris Becker John McEnroe |
3–6, 2–6 |
Loss | 12. | 1992 | Bordeaux, France | Clay | Arnaud Boetsch | Sergio Casal Emilio Sánchez |
1–6, 4–6 |
Loss | 13. | 1992 | Toulouse, France | Hard (i) | Henri Leconte | Brad Pearce Byron Talbot |
1–6, 6–3, 3–6 |
Loss | 14. | 1995 | Ostrava, Czech Republic | Carpet | Patrick Rafter | Jonas Björkman Javier Frana |
7–6, 4–6, 6–7 |
Loss | 15. | 1996 | Milan, Italy | Carpet | Jakob Hlasek | Andrea Gaudenzi Goran Ivanišević |
4–6, 5–7 |
Loss | 16. | 1996 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | Jakob Hlasek | Mark Knowles Daniel Nestor |
2–6, 4–6 |
Loss | 17. | 1996 | French Open, Paris | Clay | Jakob Hlasek | Yevgeny Kafelnikov Daniel Vacek |
2–6, 3–6 |
Performance timelines
Singles
W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
Tournament | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | Career SR | Career win–loss |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Slam tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | 3R | A | 4R | 1R | NH | A | 2R | 1R | 2R | QF | 2R | QF | A | 2R | 1R | 1R | 0 / 12 | 16–12 |
French Open | 3R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 4R | 1R | 3R | A | 3R | 4R | 2R | A | A | 2R | 3R | A | 0 / 12 | 16–12 |
Wimbledon | A | 1R | 3R | 1R | 1R | 4R | 1R | A | 4R | QF | QF | A | QF | 2R | 1R | A | 0 / 12 | 21–12 |
U.S. Open | A | 1R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 3R | 2R | A | 1R | 2R | 4R | A | 2R | 1R | 4R | A | 0 / 12 | 13–12 |
Grand Slam SR | 0 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 48 | N/A |
Annual win–loss | 3–2 | 0–3 | 5–4 | 1–4 | 4–3 | 5–3 | 4–4 | 0–1 | 6–4 | 12–4 | 9–4 | 4–1 | 5–2 | 3–4 | 5–4 | 0–1 | N/A | 66–48 |
ATP Masters Series | ||||||||||||||||||
Indian Wells | These Tournaments Were Not Masters Series Events Before 1990 |
2R | F | 2R | 1R | A | 2R | 1R | 1R | 0 / 7 | 6–7 | |||||||
Miami | 3R | 4R | A | 4R | A | 2R | 2R | 1R | 0 / 6 | 6–6 | ||||||||
Monte Carlo | 3R | 3R | 3R | 2R | 1R | 1R | A | A | 0 / 6 | 5–6 | ||||||||
Rome | QF | A | 1R | A | A | A | 1R | A | 0 / 3 | 3–3 | ||||||||
Hamburg | SF | A | A | 1R | A | A | 1R | A | 0 / 3 | 4–3 | ||||||||
Montreal/Toronto | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | 0 / 1 | 0–1 | ||||||||
Cincinnati | 3R | W | 2R | A | A | 1R | A | A | 1 / 4 | 7–3 | ||||||||
Stuttgart (Stockholm) | 3R | 3R | F | A | 2R | 1R | A | A | 0 / 5 | 7–5 | ||||||||
Paris | 3R | W | F | A | 3R | 3R | 1R | A | 1 / 6 | 14–5 | ||||||||
Masters Series SR | N/A | 16–8 | 18–4 | 9–6 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 3–6 | 0–6 | 0–2 | N/A | 52–39 | |||||||
Masters Series SR | N/A | 0 / 8 | 2 / 6 | 0 / 6 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 6 | 0 / 6 | 0 / 2 | 2 / 41 | N/A | |||||||
Year-end ranking | 70 | 188 | 36 | 61 | 25 | 54 | 48 | 36 | 16 | 7 | 11 | 158 | 40 | 71 | 51 | 1121 | N/A |
Doubles
Tournament | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | Career SR | Career win–loss |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Slam tournaments | |||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | A | A | 1R | 2R | NH | A | 3R | 2R | 2R | 1R | A | A | A | A | SF | 1R | A | A | A | 0 / 7 | 8–6 |
French Open | 1R | A | 3R | 2R | 3R | F | 1R | A | 1R | 3R | 2R | A | 2R | 3R | F | A | 1R | 2R | 2R | 0 / 15 | 23–15 |
Wimbledon | A | A | A | A | 3R | QF | QF | A | 3R | A | SF | A | A | QF | QF | A | A | A | A | 0 / 8 | 20–8 |
U.S. Open | A | A | 1R | 2R | QF | 1R | 3R | A | QF | A | A | A | 2R | A | SF | A | A | A | A | 0 / 8 | 13–8 |
Grand Slam SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 38 | N/A |
Annual win–loss | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 7–3 | 8–3 | 6–4 | 1–1 | 6–3 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 16–4 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | N/A | 64–37 |
ATP Masters Series | |||||||||||||||||||||
Indian Wells | These Tournaments Were Not Masters Series Events Before 1990 |
W | F | 2R | W | A | QF | 2R | 1R | A | A | A | 2 / 7 | 18–5 | |||||||
Miami | SF | 2R | A | A | A | A | 2R | A | A | A | A | 0 / 3 | 3–3 | ||||||||
Monte Carlo | QF | A | QF | 1R | 1R | SF | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 5 | 6–5 | ||||||||
Rome | 1R | A | 2R | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | 0 / 3 | 1–3 | ||||||||
Hamburg | QF | A | A | A | A | A | F | A | A | A | A | 0 / 2 | 4–2 | ||||||||
Montreal/Toronto | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | 0 / 1 | 0–1 | ||||||||
Cincinnati | SF | 1R | SF | A | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 4 | 6–4 | ||||||||
Stuttgart (Stockholm) | W | A | A | A | A | 2R | 2R | A | A | A | A | 1 / 3 | 5–2 | ||||||||
Paris | QF | 1R | A | A | A | 2R | 2R | A | A | A | A | 0 / 4 | 2–3 | ||||||||
Masters Series SR | N/A | 2 / 8 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 1 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 5 | 0 / 7 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 3 / 32 | N/A | |||||||
Annual win–loss | N/A | 18–6 | 4–4 | 7–4 | 5–1 | 0–1 | 7–4 | 4–7 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | N/A | 45–28 | |||||||
Year-end ranking | 717 | 166 | 217 | 23 | 8 | 6 | 15 | 152 | 4 | 84 | 29 | 114 | 96 | 32 | 14 | 565 | 1384 | 652 | 463 | N/A |
Personal life
Forget married Isabelle Chassande-Barrioz-Chabrel in 1989. The couple has two sons, Mathieu and Thibault. Thibault has also played professional tennis.[6]
References
- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1744951/bio
- Champions Tour – Guy Forget
- "A Gorgeous Change of Pace". Inside the Games website. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
- "Guy Forget named new director of French Open".
- "Guy Forget History – Phish.net".
- "Thibault Forget". ATP. Retrieved 26 August 2023.