Wimbledon 2013 champion Marion Bartoli has revealed that she is to take over the coaching duties for up-and-coming Frenchwoman Lucie Wargnier.

It will be Bartoli’s first coaching role, having attempted to return to the WTA Tour earlier in 2018. However, this comeback was cut short by injuries and in June she announced her decision to retire for a second time, having previously quit in 2013 after her success at the All England Club.

She has now announced, via Twitter, that she will take Wargnier under her wing.

The 19-year-old has spent the year competing on the ITF circuit, largely around France, and is currently the WTA World No.761 but reached a high of 742 in October.

“For now she is still smiling!!! Let’s see after the next 18 days of practice!! Very happy to start coaching this young French girl: Lucie Wargnier,” she announced via the social networking site.

Wargnier is a former national champion at the 12-year-old age group and a runner-up in the 14-year-old category.


However, she suffered a serious knee ligament injury in 2015 that prevented her from playing for 11 months.

During that time, she found herself faced with the prospect of giving up the game entirely, while her recovery took place alongside some of those who had suffered in the November 13, 2015 terrorist attacks on Paris.

“Mentally, it made me stronger,” she told Le Parisien in October. “I understood that a career could be ended overnight. The surgeon warned me that I might never play tennis again.

“During my rehabilitation, I was with the victims of the Bataclan attack, which was eye-opening. Compared to them, I didn’t have much of a problem. Now I’m listening to my body and I’m more patient.”

And now she is ready to take a step up in her career.

“It’s a new start,” she said. “I want to continue to move upwards in the standings. I’m going to stop playing $15,000 tournaments to focus on $25,000 competitions. And if possible, I’ll play the Roland-Garros qualifiers next June among the seniors for the first time.”