Congratulations to Etienne

Etienne has become the GB No 1 under 9 player in the latest rankings Nov 2020. He has kindly agreed to answer a few questions to help other juniors have an understanding of his tennis journey from first starting to becoming GB No.1 and what it has taken to reach this wonderful achievement.

When you first started playing.

1. What age did you start playing at CLTC and who was your first coach?
   

I was 5 years old and my first coach was Sue

1. What was it about tennis that you enjoyed the most when you first started playing?
   

It was very fun and I liked trying to hitting the ball

1. How many hours a week did you have lessons (group / individual)?
   

I started with only 1h a week to begin with but then I was invited to a Hills Road performance group. Now I have 2h of 1 to 1 and 4.5h of group sessions most weeks.

1. How many hours a week did you practice apart from lessons?
   

Sometimes play 1-2h a week with my family or family at CLTC.

1. Do you play any other sports at a competitive level?
   

YES! I love playing football for Trumpington FC!

Starting to compete.

1. What age were you when you played your first tournament, and how did you find competing, winning / losing? 
   

I was nearly 6 years old and I really enjoyed the matches especially hitting good shots but didn’t like losing!!

1. Did you have to make any sacrifices (school, friends, other sports etc.) to improve your tennis? 
   

Yes, I sometimes missed a few football matches, birthday parties and playdates so that I could do training and county matches!

1. Who is your tennis idle and why?
   

Rafa Nadal – because he is a great competitor, makes awesome shots and very respectful  

1. How many tournaments a year do you play approx?
   

Except this year, I usually play around 15-18 tournaments a year

1. What is your favourite thing about playing tennis?
   

My favourite thing is hitting winners, playing tournaments and having fun and also running to get every ball back!


Here and now.

1. What were the most significant change/s you made to improve your tennis from being a good County player to National No. 1?
   

I started to hit more aggressive shots and go to the net at the right times. I am recognising my opponents’ weaknesses so I can hit there more often. And I am trying not to lose focus if I am down in a set or get a bad line call. 

1. Do you do anything other than play tennis to improve your tennis ability? (Physical training, studying players, watching videos of you playing etc.)
   

I really enjoy watching tennis, especially Rafa, and trying to copy their shots. I really like Thiem’s backhand and try hitting ping-pong shots like him!

1. What are your goals for the next 3 years on and off court?
   

I would like to play some Grade 2 tournaments in green, improve my serve and net play and make some new friends. Off the court I still play football and score lots of goals.

1. What are the most challenging aspects of becoming a tennis player?
   

I love competing, but against some strong players, points can go on forever, so it’s tough to keep energy high!

1. What are the top 5 things you would recommend to fellow juniors wanting to get to No.1?
   

A. Try your best
B. Never give up
C. Train hard
D. Play fair
E. Enjoy yourself / have fun!