'It was 50-50 whether I'd play again': Mayot realises Wimbledon dream
When Frenchman Harold Mayot was staring down the barrel of an eight-month injury lay-off, the thought of reaching the main draw of The Championships, Wimbledon was inconceivable.
Thankfully, times – and indeed fortunes – have changed and next week the 21-year-old will rub shoulders with the finest players on the planet after defeating Italy’s Matteo Gigante 6-4 6-2 6-2 in the final round of SW19 qualifying.
Mayot will now compete in the main draw of a Grand Slam for the second time, having received a wild card entry to Roland Garros in 2020 where he lost in straight sets to Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Where he stands today represents a remarkable resurrection from the depths of 2021 when Metz-born Mayot was sidelined with a right wrist injury and, with his career seemingly in tatters, at the lowest ebb of his life.
The prospect of him stepping onto a tennis court again, let alone realising any of his previously held ambitions, looked bleak, while he gained weight and made lifestyle choices which were not aligned with those of a professional sportsman. Depression, hatred and doubt are all words he associates with that period.
“It was the hardest time of my life because it was 50-50 whether I would return to the court,” Mayot told itftennis.com. “I grew up only playing tennis and it was my dream. When you understand that your dream is drifting away, it is difficult to accept.
“It was a really difficult time, emotionally and physically. I put on 12kg and was drinking with friends, so it was a tough moment. When you remember the tough times you’ve been through, you just have to enjoy every moment.
“I am excited now. Wimbledon is the history of tennis and the tournament to be at. It is not Roland Garros, it is not the Australian Open and it is not the US Open. In a lot of ways, it is the most important tournament of the year.
“You play on clay and hard courts most weeks, but grass is different, and it is my dream to play on grass. It is crazy to think I will be there next week. Why me? Sometimes you just have to enjoy every moment and see what the future brings.”
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Following surgery, Mayot made his return from injury in August 2021, initially on the ITF World Tennis Tour – the main artery to the ATP and WTA Tours – before competing more often at ATP Challenger level as he rediscovered his rhythm.
He now occupies a career-high world ranking of No. 180 and is pursuing an upward trajectory as he continues to get his career back on track and break new ground.
As ever, Mayot did not arrive at this point by accident and, notwithstanding the hard yards he put in following injury, junior tennis enthusiasts have known about his potential for some time.
A former junior world No. 1, Mayot topped the podium at the 2020 Australian Open Junior Championships, while six months earlier he reached the semi-finals at the Junior Championships, Wimbledon.
He gained further exposure at the 2019 ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals in Chengdu where, aged 17, he was defeated by current world No. 6 Holger Rune in the final.
As one would expect, much has changed in the ensuing four years. For starters, Mayot has grown into a man; he is no longer brash and petulant on court, instead exuding a calmness. He also reveals that he has expanded his tattoo collection to a whopping 25.
It also transpires that Mayot has a very different outlook.
“Four years ago, I was only a tennis player, now I am a human being,” said Mayot. “I enjoy my friends, I enjoy my family and do not only think about tennis – I have a life.
“The life I am leading now is not the life I was leading in Chengdu. There is so much more to me and I want to enjoy every moment because life is short.”
It is hard to argue with that sentiment.