Hi to all of you

Yesterday I was talking with Marie Lou Peyre, if you don't know her yet, she is a young 17 year old player who trains regularly at the Sommières Tennis Club, she is among the best French junior players and she will attack the circuit pro in the coming weeks... Come on Marie Lou!!! [Roland ;) ... ok ok US OPEN]

In short, Marie Lou told me a beautiful story that inspires this article!

" Opponent in match, partners in training and why not friends in life? "

It’s a state of mind that I particularly recommend to young players but also to all great competitors.

Opponents in match:

When you're in a match, you're playing against an opponent...

• sometimes you know him well
• sometimes you don't know him
• sometimes you will have an unpleasant and disrespectful player
• sometimes you will have to deal with a cheater, who will tend to annoy you
• sometimes on the contrary you will deal with a very pleasant and very respectful player....

Whatever the situation, you must respect your "personal code of conduct" (Even if it is not always easy), you must respect the rules of the game.

Whoever the person in front of you is: He's an opponent, nothing more, nothing less, and you have a match to play: you play every point to the fullest.

Training partners:

At the end of the match, the rivalry must fade, a player even if he is not from your club must move (after the match) from the status of opponent to the status of "colleague" and potential partner. And as far as possible, mutual respect must be established. Of course it's not always possible, some encounters are so unpleasant that it's just impossible to sympathize with the opponent afterwards... but in general you will gain enormously from sympathizing and creating links with the other players, you will meet on your journey...

The more you progress in your tennis, the more training partners will become rare... It is not uncommon to see that in certain situations players find themselves without a sparing partner because of the rivalries that have been established beyond the context of the match and which spilled over into everyday life...
It's a relatively unhealthy and unproductive atmosphere that prevents you from progressing... if you've made friends on the field you'll have an easier time finding training partners...

Same in your club: you have a friend who plays very well, he is above all a training partner: You will help each other to progress which will allow you to beat other players... if you look at him as a rival to be eliminated, you will both isolate yourselves, you will not be able to help each other progress....and when you go to a tournament it is the other players who will beat you... if you look at him as a rival to be eliminated, you will both isolate yourselves, you will not be able to help each other progress....and when you go to a tournament it is the other players who will beat you...

In short: In a match, tennis is an individual sport... But in training, team spirit is the most important

And why not friends in life?

From my point of view it's obvious, it's the logical and natural progression of things... You are a tennis player and you are going to go far... you sympathize with the other players that you meet, bonds of friendship end up being created even if in tournaments you compete against each other... and these bonds of friendship, these strong bonds between players will allow you to help each other climb to the top together...