While the action on the men’s semifinal day of the 2026 French Open fell short of expectations on the court, a fresh controversy quickly took center stage off it. Former world No. 1 and eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi has come under fire for his bold remarks about Jakub Menšík’s decision regarding his mental coach and Matteo Arnaldi’s withdrawal.
Why Andre Agassi Is Facing Backlash at the 2026 French Open
Although Agassi only recently arrived at the French Open and joined the TNT Sports coverage, he has already made waves with his blunt analysis, most notably after criticizing Jannik Sinner over his unexpected loss. The former world No. 1 was back on the panel for the men’s semifinal action on Friday, June 5, ahead of the clash between Alexander Zverev and Jakub Menšík.
Before the match, Agassi took issue with Menšík’s decision to fly out his mental coach, Dragan Vujovic, who has worked with the Czech star since he was 13 years old, to join his coaching team in Paris. He suggested that the 20-year-old should’ve instead leaned on the support of his loved ones. However, it’s worth noting that Menšík has enjoyed his mother and family’s heartwarming support throughout his campaign.
“I’m not a big fan of bringing in a mental coach in the semifinals of a Slam. You’re supposed to bring in your mum at that stage. Like, ‘Come on, mum, you’ve got to come watch me play the semis.’ But bringing in a mental coach? I don’t know. It seems like there’s only a downside for that mental coach,” Agassi said.
The semifinal showdown unfolded with Zverev asserting his authority, clinching the first two sets to take a commanding lead. Although Menšík fought back to take the third set, the No. 2 seed quickly regained control and secured a 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory to book his spot in the final.
Following the match, Agassi said he was “disappointed” by the quality of the contest, despite acknowledging the physical and mental strain Menšík had endured during his campaign.
“I mean, a little bit disappointed in the match, I have to say. You’ve always got to give credit to the winner, there’s two guys out there, you’ve got to be better than one person, that’s all that’s really asked of you. Menšík’s 20. He’s young, he’s been through a lot physically this tournament, he’s been through a lot mentally, so who knows how that played out,” he said.
The eight-time Grand Slam champion also suggested that Menšík should make Vujovic “walk back” home as he detailed the crucial missed opportunities by the 20-year-old before he “lost the plot.”
“I have to say that if I was Mensik and I flew my mental coach in first class, he’s going back coach. Or make him walk back or something because he had 3-4 first set, 15-40, he had an opportunity with the forehand, and laid off of it a little bit. At 4-4, he gets four shanks in a row off Zverev’s forehand. I think all of a sudden, he started to realise maybe making this match difficult is a real possibility. From that point on, he kind of lost the plot a little bit,” he added.
Agassi’s comments were not well received by tennis fans, who condemned the “ridiculous” and “disappointing” statements. A fan suggested that the former world No. 1 was trying to “create controversy” with his bold takes, while others questioned his lack of empathy after being open about the mental struggles he faced in his own career.
The former world No. 1 further riled up the tennis community with his reaction to Matteo Arnaldi’s withdrawal from the French Open just minutes before his semifinal clash against Flavio Cobolli was set to take place.
Agassi described Arnaldi’s withdrawal as disappointing, arguing that the Italian’s stomach issues should be severe enough to justify canceling the match.
“I could have beat Arnaldi today, at 56 years old. If you don’t show up, you can’t win. It’s just disappointing. This tournament’s been full of so many surprises, this is not the kind of surprise that anybody wants to see. He had two sets the last match, physically he would’ve had a chance to be at his best but obviously he’s dealing with something that better be unimaginable because it is a disappointment,” he said.
Fans were baffled by Agassi’s take, arguing that Arnaldi wouldn’t have made the “toughest decision” to skip his maiden Grand Slam semifinal unless he was genuinely unable to compete. Citing his “overly harsh” comments on Sinner’s preparation, fans expressed frustration with the American’s “horrible takes” at the clay-court Major.
Andre Agassi is not the only tennis legend to face backlash for his commentary at the French Open, as John McEnroe has also stirred controversy with his remarks. Nevertheless, both are expected to return and share their insights on the women’s final between Mirra Andreeva and Maja Chwalińska on Saturday and Alexander Zverev’s battle with Flavio Cobolli on Sunday.
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