“He has a very good future, I'm sure.
How far it will go, I cannot say.
But he will go high.
The compliment is signed Richard Gasquet.
Monday evening, in "his" ATP 250 tournament in Montpellier (six finals, three titles), the Biterrois was taken out in the first round by Arthur Fils, 18 years old and 163rd in the world, one of the real hopes of blue-white tennis -red.
For a few months, the Essonne, winner of the Orange Bowl in 2020 and finalist of Roland-Garros juniors in 2021, has taken a step forward.
Last November, the teenager distinguished himself by leaving the qualifications of the Masters 1000 of Bercy with the two best victories of his career in terms of classification against Munar (56th) and Fognini (59th and former top 10).
On the Central de la Sud de France Arena, the puncher from Saint-Michel-sur-Orge did even better with his first hit in the top 50 (Gasquet is 45th) and especially the opening of his counter of victories on the big circuit .
Either the second player born in 2004 to accomplish such a performance.
Well done, Son!
⚡
Arthur Fils showed himself without complex against Richard Gasquet and the Montpellier public
(🎥 @lequipe) pic.twitter.com/6LwAWS3sFm
— We Are Tennis France (@WeAreTennisFR) February 7, 2023
“If it hadn't happened here, I think it would have happened fairly quickly given the tennis he is playing at the moment, says Laurent Raymond, who has been coaching him since the off-season at the FFT.
It fell on Richard, it is the symbolic side of the succession.
When Richard won his first match on the circuit, Arthur was not born…”
In recent weeks, the resident of the CNE has lined up successes with a title in the Challenger of Oeiras 2 and a final in the Challenger of Quimper before being invited to the Hérault.
And he checks off the 2023 “to do list” drawn up by his coach with disconcerting speed.
“You need emotional stability on the court”
“I did not set him a ranking objective because it is always limiting, confides Laurent Raymond, who succeeded Jérôme Potier, who stayed three years with the Francilien.
However, there should be no limit to progress.
So I've established a set of steps to cross out as you go, in ascending order.
I had put final and victory in Future
(Editor's note: the D 3 of tennis)
but I don't think he will go back there... Then, final and victory in Challenger.
It's done.
Win on the big circuit.
It's done.
I also put reaching the last four
(Editor's note: on an ATP 250 or better
), winning his first Grand Slam match and having the ranking this year to enter the Grand Slam tables
(Editor's note: at least around the 100th place).
If we check all these boxes, it will be very good!
»
At Bercy, Potier explained that Son had to learn to better manage his behavior on the ground and treated a tendency to self-destruct at the slightest headwind.
The work seems to be paying off.
“It's the priority before talking about technique, tactics or physics, analyzes Laurent Raymond.
You need emotional stability on the court, learning to manage these states which are the key to moving to the next level.
Nothing is acquired but he understands the mechanisms well.
»
📊 Youngest French people when winning their 1st match on the circuit (since 1990):
🇫🇷 Richard Gasquet - 15 years and 9 months
🇫🇷 Fabrice Santoro - 16 years and 7 months
🇫🇷 Gaël Monfils - 18 years and 1 month
🇫 🇷 Paul Henri Mathieu - 18 years and 6 months
🇫🇷 Arthur Fils - 18 years and 7 months 🆕 pic.twitter.com/ZxMWK9LODj
— Game, Set and Maths (@JeuSetMaths) February 6, 2023
The young man in a hurry who cherishes three dreams (to become No. 1, to win Grand Slams and to score in tennis) must also understand the virtues of patience.
“He is a powerful person and when you are powerful, you always have the impression that you can make a winning point every time you touch the ball, blows the coach.
While high level tennis is not that.
First, you have to make very few mistakes.
Then, even if it comes with time, he must integrate as quickly as possible his ability to adapt to all situations and keep a course on his game intentions and his attitudes.
»
Wednesday, in the second round, the Habs will challenge the solid Spaniard Bautista Agut, 24th in the world.
A step a little higher to discover.
"But it's almost 'easier' to play against the best," says Laurent Raymond.
The times when he will be really tested mentally will be in games where he will be more expected as a favorite.
»