It is quite the shifting landscape on the ATP Tour these days, not just for the players swinging the racquets, but for those officiating the proceedings as well. Aurélie Tourte, the ATP’s first full-time female umpire, has been creating history on the men’s circuit since 2019. Recently, the Frenchwoman decided to pull back the curtain on what it truly takes to be a world-class official in such a high-stakes environment. In a candid video interaction, Tourte, who is one of the mere 13 women globally to hold a gold badge—the highest certification for umpires—opened up about her journey. While many see the glamour of jet-setting across the globe, Tourte admits it is not always a bed of roses. “You always want to give your best on every match,” she noted, adding that the pressure can be immense. While she cherishes meeting new people and visiting different countries, the pangs of missing home are a reality one cannot ignore.
From Hospital Wards to Center Court
What many tennis enthusiasts might find surprising is Tourte’s dual life. For the longest time, she balanced her duties in the umpire’s chair with moonlighting as an ER nurse back in France. Though she has not frequented the hospital much in the last three years to focus on her tennis commitments—spending around 20 weeks a year at tournaments—she maintains it is a job she still loves. Her career in tennis has seen her oversee three Grand Slam singles finals and make history as the first woman to officiate the singles final at the ATP Finals. On the lighter side of things, it is not all serious business. Tourte fondly recalled the now-infamous incident with an iguana at the Miami Open. The episode led to a running joke with her Spanish colleague, gold badge umpire Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Forcadell, whom the team now affectionately dubs “Iguanacho.”
The Coaching Conundrum for Alcaraz
While Tourte manages the laws of the game, a different sort of management drama is unfolding in the camp of Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz. Following the chatter about his split from Juan Carlos Ferrero, speculation is rife regarding who will step into the coaching role alongside Samuel Lopez. It brings to mind a football analogy involving Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel. When Klopp took charge at Liverpool, Tuchel joked he finally knew his next destination, having succeeded Klopp at both Mainz and Dortmund. A similar pattern could well be emerging in the tennis fraternity. If Alcaraz is indeed hunting for a new mentor, the list of potential candidates is admittedly short. His inner circle is tight-knit and heavily Spanish-centric, making it doubtful that international heavyweights like Ivan Lendl or Andy Murray would find a place in the setup.
Looking Towards Melbourne
The logical speculation points towards a Spanish super-coach. One could look at the precedent set by Alexander Zverev; after the German parted ways with Ferrero, David Ferrer soon entered the fray. As the Spanish Davis Cup captain, Ferrer is already in close proximity to Alcaraz, though the youngster had to miss the finals in Bologna. It would be quite the Tuchel-Klopp succession if it materializes. However, it would be surprising if Alcaraz pulls a new coach out of the hat so early in the year. Samuel Lopez was a constant figure during the 2025 season even when Ferrero was absent, suggesting he can hold the fort. The real test will be in Melbourne. Alcaraz has yet to reach the semi-finals there, and after his defeat to Novak Djokovic in early 2025, critics were quick to suggest the man from Murcia was on a downward spiral. Eight titles and two Majors later, he proved them wrong, but the intrigue around his team remains palpable.
