Frenchman Jeremy Chardy and former coach Frederic Fontang are in a legal tussle

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Well perhaps this explains Jeremy Chardy's 1-7 record on the ATP level this year. Many times this year he has looked aimless in his game. Well, sometimes he looks like this when winning, but now this news gives us reason for Chardy's poor mental state and play, including a loss 1st round in a challenger this week.

Chardy, who is 24 now, was coached for 12 years by Frederic Fontang. Chardy said in Monte-Carlo: "I needed to talk because it paralyzes me on court, I am unable to play, I completely lose confidence, I'm going back to basics and start with a Challenger.

I am not sure I can continue my career." This appears pretty serious and mentally draining and taxing. Apparently there was a contract that the two men signed when Chardy was 18 that ran until June 2012. But, Chardy broke off with Fontang and is now being coached by Patrick Mouratoglou.

Says Chardy: "He (Fontang) made me sign a contract when I was 18 that bind me to him. I signed with eyes closed and now it asks me for money, more money, (around 600,000 Euro) and filed a complaint against me. If I pay what he demanded of me, I cannot pay my new teams and I'm not even sure I can continue my career.

I never thought possible that he betray me like that." This is some pretty heavy stuff. Frederic Fontang, meanwhile, claims he was "taken for a ride." Fontang says in his defense: "As I had made many sacrifices since the beginning of our collaboration, we agreed that I will be paid for success.

It was based on a percentage of Chardy's prize money. We took great care when writing the contract when he was 18. It was much easier because French Chardy's father is a banker, so he is familiar with the procedure. This contract came to an end, we had to renew it because Jeremy's career evolved.

Again, everything was done with a nature of transparency." So Chardy is accusing Fontang of extortion while Fontang is accusing Chardy of breach of contract. It should be a very interesting legal battle.