Humans of Padel
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Humans of Padel
The French Vision: Charles Journey Through Tennis Coaching
Max sits down with Charles, founder of La French Tennis Academy, IG: @lafrenchtennis, in Dubai, for an insightful conversation about tennis coaching methodology and player development through a French perspective.
• The French Tennis Academy focuses on building strong fundamentals, especially for young players
• Technique is important for beginners but shouldn't be the primary focus at advanced levels
• Top tennis players share strong mental and physical capabilities despite having different techniques
• The harsh reality of professional tennis where only top 100-150 players make a comfortable living
• Tennis develops valuable life skills like resilience, independence, and the ability to reset after setbacks
• Four or five is a good age to start tennis but children should try multiple sports
• Coaching approach for young children should prioritize fun and positive reinforcement
• When coaching children, visual cues and games work better than technical instructions
• Recent rule changes allowing coaching during matches help modernize tennis
• Five-set matches at Grand Slams should remain as they represent the ultimate physical and mental challenge
Connect with Charles and the French Tennis Academy on Instagram @lafrenchtennis or book a lesson with Charles or coach Danny to experience the French vision of tennis coaching.
Hello and welcome back to another episode of the Humans of Paddle podcast. I'm your host, max. In this episode, I'm joined by my good friend, charles, the founder of La French Tennis Academy. I'm very excited about this episode because we're going to talk about tennis and not paddle. We cover his coaching methodology, how he got involved in tennis and some advice for tennis players of all levels. Enjoy the episode and look forward to hearing your feedback on Instagram at humansofpaddle. Charles, thank you for taking the time to come and sit with me today and have a conversation. I'm excited to not talk about paddle. For once, we're going to have the opportunity to talk about tennis. So, first of all, what is the French Tennis Academy and how did you get there?
Speaker 2:So the French Academy is, let's say, quite a new academy, like four, five years old. We just got a new coach joining the team, Coach Danny, so I hope he's going to be a good support for the development of the academy. I moved to Dubai like 13 years ago now and I started the Académie La French Tennis, you know, like quite recently, and we try to work on the kids' development. You know, especially the. You know the junior prospects, you know, with the French vision and the French knowledge basically.
Speaker 1:So what would be the French vision? What makes that different than the English knowledge or another place?
Speaker 2:You know it's mostly about the approach of coaching. You know the coaching tools. You know it's not just like giving a session and then, okay, bye, bye, see you next week. We really try to start from the basics. You know can be technical support, can be the you know, the movement on the courts, but especially, you know, with the kids, we're gonna focus on the motor skills and eye coordination you, you know, to help them to. You know, to control the game and to develop the best technique possible in the future.
Speaker 1:And how important would you say is the technique? Because you look at the top players in the world now they play extremely different right the way they play tennis. Look at Medvedev the way he plays tennis, alcaraz the way he plays, senna the way he plays. Everyone is playing a completely different tennis technically. So how important is the technical side to it?
Speaker 2:It's actually a really good question. I believe that sometimes we even spend too much on the technical side of the game and, as you said, you know, in the tennis nowadays, you know we can see that. You know all the players got a different technique. The common aspect they got is the mental side and the physical side of the game. So technique is good at the beginning to make sure that you can control the ball and that you can rally and enjoy the game. But at some point, at a certain level, I believe that shouldn't be the most important part in the game.
Speaker 1:So when you start training at a beginner level, you're going to focus more on the technique, build that to a certain level and then everyone's going to have slight variations to their game. Right, some people might have a little bit of a kick on the forehand or something a bit different, and you're not going to bother with that, right, you're not going to try.
Speaker 2:And yeah, I mean as long as you can play, you know, because at the end of the game you want to rally with your partner or with your opponents. So as long as you can play, it shouldn't be an issue. You know, at a certain level, obviously, the better you get. If you want to go in the competitions, if you want to maybe, you know, have a career in tennis, obviously we'll try to correct as much as possible.
Speaker 1:You know the technical parts so talk about careers in tennis. What was your career in tennis? How did it start for you?
Speaker 2:so, you know, nobody in my family played tennis. That's why it's really strange until now I don't know how I become a tennis player and now a coach. You know I was playing football, you know, as many kids in france. You know, growing up in france we all play football. And I think that one of my friends dad, you know saw me playing with a ball, you know, down my building and he would just like he told my mom okay, I mean you should try tennis, and he took me to a tennis lesson and it just started like this, you know, but I don't have like a clear memory of the you know, but I don't like, I don't have like a clear memory of the, you know, first tennis sessions.
Speaker 1:But I started like around, let's say, seven, eight years old that's quite a random story, like he spotted you and he just took you to play tennis because he thought you were good or he saw you had like answer high coordination, yeah. And then how was your progression in tennis in france? What's it like growing up as a tennis player in France?
Speaker 2:so pretty quickly I would say I was uh good. You know, I think I had, I had something good in tennis, even though nobody really teaches me, you know, in my family and uh, so I got lucky to have some, you know, good coaches. You know, when I was young then I was a part we call it a league. You know, in your department, in your area you have kind of a league where you know all the best players of the region, of the department you know play and train, so you have the training in your own club and then you had the additional training you know in your, in your league, with the really best players of your age category.
Speaker 1:I would say and how good did you get as a player?
Speaker 2:we can call it, maybe, semi-professional. You know it's really difficult to understand because depending on the country you know the, the type of ranking are not the same. So if you know tennis in France, if I tell you about the ranking you would know. But let's call it semi-professional, because the step to become professional and to be able to make a living from tennis is quite hard. Maybe we don't realize, but tennis, in the tennis professional industry, you have to be one of the top, top, top to be able to, you know, at some point to earn money.
Speaker 1:I mean, it's a hell of an investment, isn't it? If you were to go pro and then go to all the tournaments, the tours you're going to travel, the hotels, the rackets, the stringing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I, I mean, this is a cost that, uh, you know when you are behind your tv you don't realize because you only see the, the best players playing. You know. And you know when you are top 100, top 150, you kind of make enough money, you know to live and all. But, for example, I have some friends, you know they were like top 250, top 300, which is a an amazing level already, but at the end of the month, at the end of the season, you know they got zero. As you said. You know you pay the flight tickets, you pay your coach, you pay the hotels and then, if you don't perform in the tournaments, uh, you end up with with zero that's so much pressure, though.
Speaker 1:Imagine you're literally playing for your livelihood. Yeah, it's depending on your performance in the tournament. I mean, it takes the love out of the game, right? It's no longer about as a child you love playing tennis.
Speaker 2:You're literally thinking about paying your rent or paying for food, or paying for your flight home it's the real life of a tennis player and I hope we're gonna see more not maybe documentaries about this. You, you know, because sometimes you have people you know they want their kids to be good, they want their kids to be maybe the best and professional, and that's fine, you know, we are fine with that. But they need to know also the darkest parts, I would say, of the story.
Speaker 1:Would you encourage your child to be a tennis player because you recently became a?
Speaker 2:father? Exactly yes, he's gonna turn one year soon.
Speaker 1:So if your son comes to you and says that I want to be a professional tennis player, what would you say?
Speaker 2:I'll help him because you shouldn't, you know, destroy a kid's dream or, you know, even the parents dream. I will help him, but really soon I think, I will tell you what's the was the truth about being a, about wanting to be a professional tennis players, you know. So it's. I mean, it's a tough one, yeah, because you know, sister, I've been through it kind of, you know, do I want my kids, you know, to get the same thing and not making it, because you know we can count the number of kids playing well, because playing good tennis, being a good tennis player, is not enough, you know, to become a pro.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So yeah, that's a tough one.
Speaker 1:I'll have to think about it I mean, you must also go through this with the, with your students and your students parents, because, like you said, the parents have a dream, the kid has a dream. They're not necessarily the same dream, yeah. So how do you deal with the parents that are like I want my son to be the next novak djokovic?
Speaker 2:I mean to. I mean I believe that most of the parents, you know they at the beginning, they know the level of their kids. You know when they start. So you have to be realistic. And also, as a coach, you know when you do your job for real. You need to inform the, the parents, because you know our job. Okay, we are on the court coaching and all, but this is also our responsibility, you know, to guide them. Okay, this is what you want. This is the the reality of the court right now. You know it can change. You know after months, after years, so it can change, but we need to always have in mind that you know parents are not the professionals. You know, but we need to tell them and also the kids from a certain age. You know, for example, I have some teenagers playing good tennis. So for them, the challenge right now is to maybe have the best level possible, level possible, you know, when they go to college. Maybe they can have a scholarship, they can have access to a certain college with their studying level, of course, but also the tennis level they will reach by the time they go there.
Speaker 2:And yeah, and you know, being pro you will need to travel. You know you cannot stay in Dubai because there is not enough players. So here, what's amazing, you know, for the kids it's to be able to play, you know, the whole season outdoor, even if we know that when the summer comes it's a bit more challenging with the heat. But we are lucky that we can train outdoors the whole season. You know the whole day. But at some point you will need to go out from Dubai and travel a bit more to get you know more challenging. Where would you have to go? From my point of view, I would say to the US or Europe. You know these are the two biggest spots, I would say where you will guarantee yourself. You know these are the two biggest spots. I would say where you, you will guarantee yourself, you know to be challenged on every tournament. Every tournament you will play there. You will face some tough opponents.
Speaker 1:I mean, you mentioned something earlier I wanted to go back on, which was the goals for a child as a tennis player? Right, like, obviously the highest possible thing you can achieve is you become a professional tennis player. You make a great living. Good for you, that's the 0.1% right, and then the opportunity to get a scholarship. That's great, you know. But there's also so many opportunities that come from tennis or sports in general. And I see it like my parents.
Speaker 1:I played tennis, I love tennis, I wanted to be a professional tennis player, realized that wasn't going to happen. I was way worse than you, but ultimately me playing tennis and becoming a reasonably good tennis player, it got me to the job that I'm working in today and the industry that I work in and working in sports racket sports. It's a great networking tool. You can meet people on the tennis court that can help with your business and all these kind of things. So to have those skills, I think it's very important that we just don't look at the professional sports side, but how it can also benefit you in so many other ways areas of your life and confidence. And you know independence, and tennis is a lonely sport, right, so it teaches you a certain, you know, strength of character yeah, that's uh, I will talk about my personal experience.
Speaker 2:You know the, the mental part of the game, as you said. You know being alone on your court because, yes, you have your coach, you have your team, you have your teammates and all. But when it comes to a match and competitions, it's you against yourself and against the, the guy on the other side of the net. But it teach you many things about you know never giving up. You know it's gonna be tough, but you have to keep pushing to find the, the, the key. You know never giving up. You know it's going to be tough, but you have to keep pushing to find the key you know on the court to make it happen. So I believe that in your life, you know, when you become an adult, whatever the job you do, you know in your life you will have something you know mentally that will make you strong, keep you strong, to face any challenges you will get.
Speaker 1:What I like about tennis and racquet sports, at least with the scoring system of tennis, is that you can reset after every point and it can change quickly. It's not like football or basketball, let's say, if you're losing by 20, it's very hard to come back, whereas in tennis if you're down 5-0 or whatever whatever you can lose a set and you have the opportunity to come back. Yeah, and I feel that's important as a skill in life as well. You know something. Sometimes things don't go your way, but if you keep working and keep going, it can change. You know, it can benefit you, and I find it's a really strange scoring system when you think about it. How do you explain the tennis scoring system to beginners, because I've tried explaining this to people and it takes time for people to understand the scoring in tennis. Do you have a way to explain this?
Speaker 2:Honestly, the easiest way for me is to make sure that as soon as they start even if they are young and beginners you start telling them about the scoring system, because someone new to the sport could say it makes no sense.
Speaker 2:It doesn't make any sense, because it's not one, two, three. So you have to make sure that they understand from an early age about where to stand, where to serve, and then you just grow up with this in mind and it can come easily. Do you know where the scoring system came from? No, I hope you can give me the answer. Well, there's a few theories. Oh wait, go on, then. It's about numbers of steps. Right, that's one of them.
Speaker 1:The one that I heard and that I'm leaning towards that makes sense is to do with the clock. Okay, so you know how 15 is quarter past? Yeah, 30. But I don't know why it went to 40 and then it goes back to zero. It should have been 45, right? Yeah, there's a few different reasons. Like, if you Google the scoring system of tennis, there's a few different like theories to it.
Speaker 2:It doesn't really. The one I have in mind is, I think you know number of steps. You know, like when you were winning the points. It was not, I think, proper tennis at that time. Maybe the name was different, I'm not sure. We need to find the right answer.
Speaker 1:I will actually do proper research and make sure there's links to this, because maybe there's some people that really want to know, and I'll make sure.
Speaker 2:I think it's a matter of steps you do, and when you score, you are moving forward or backwards a certain number of steps, but we'll find out for you. We should know, really, shouldn't we? Yeah?
Speaker 1:we should know the history of the scoring same. Back to coaching, and you said tennis is one-on-one relatively recently. Now professional players can talk to their coaches. Do you think that was a good change or do you think that was a bad change For me?
Speaker 2:this is good and that might lead me to something else, but I will tell my answer. I believe this is good because, if you look at every other sport, players can be coached part of their coach, you know, during the game, not only after or half time or whatever. So I think this is something good. Of course, this is new for the players, so we need to see how it's going to develop, you know, in the time, but I wish that tennis could be a bit more alive.
Speaker 2:You know, even between the, the rallies, you know you got now some players, uh, uh, talking about uh, it shouldn't be an issue. You know if you want to stand up. You know, during the, the rally, if you want to clap during the rally, because this is what's happening in every other sport. So I think, the first step, about the coaching, I think that this is something good because your coach should help you during the match as well, not only when you prepare the match, but during the match. If he can help you to correct something that you didn't notice during the match, I think that can be good.
Speaker 1:I really like it, from a spectator point of view as well, how, in Davis Cup, the coach is on the bench right, so they're sitting next to them and you can hear them talking and hear what they're talking about. Especially for people that aren't really familiar with tennis, I think it gives a really good insight to the game and you can understand a little bit more. In paddle, they're on the bench and you can hear them talking. I mean, they're obviously all speaking Spanish, but you can understand the tactics and also the psychological warfare that they're going through at the same time, and I think that adds a really interesting dimension. Like you said, I think tennis does need to be modernized a little bit to keep it more interesting. You know they've brought in the shot clock to speed up the points and they're trying. If you could change anything about the rules of tennis, what would you change?
Speaker 2:The fact that they try to accelerate the game is good, because you know, sometimes, let's say that I'm beating you badly, you know you might take too much time or more time than what you needed. You know between the points, you know just to maybe to break my rhythm, or you know what I mean. Yeah, this is not a big change, but that could be something as uh, as soon as uh, I'm the one serving and I'm ready, even if, uh, you can serve yeah, that would be amazing, you know it's not ready just serve mom.
Speaker 2:You know so. But there are many things that you could not change, but at least adapt to the game to make it more interesting. Because now you know, we know there are many things that you could not change, but at least adapt to the game to make it more interesting. Because now you know, we know we are talking a lot about the new generation, about um being on social media and all so tennis is not really a sport where you could, you know, film a rally, see people shouting, clapping, you clapping. You know, during the game, in between, yes, if you go to some big tournament, let's say that you go to any Grand Slam. You know Roland Garros and all I remember that. You know the ambience, the atmosphere is crazy. But during the point, when the point starts, you can clearly see the judge telling you okay, please be silent. Players are ready.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it seems a bit over the top, really, doesn't it? I mean any other sport you know football is. I mean, it's more fluid, isn't it? There's no stop and start. But even sports that have a lot of stop and start, like rugby or basketball, there's none of that. Right, it's all fluid in movement. So I think, yeah, that would be something benefit a lot the spectator side and it's gonna come soon, when we don't know, but it's gonna come for sure.
Speaker 1:I mean I had those discussion. They were gonna remove the five sets from the Grand Slams and make everything three sets. What do?
Speaker 2:you think about that. No, with that one I'm not agree, because the five sets just the. You know the, the symbol of the, of the Grand Slam, so you can change and adapt many things, but the, the format of the Grand Slam, you know it's. It's amazing to see the, the, the players, you know, going, I mean reaching their limits when you play, I don't know, four or five hours. You know you shouldn't touch that rule. Like you can adapt, maybe, I don't know the, the, the, yeah, the way to to make the game faster, because this is the idea at the end of the day, you know, because people might not want to sit for five hours. Could you sit, like, for five hours, watching a tennis match without moving, without going anywhere?
Speaker 1:I used to when it was like Federer and Nadal, djokovic I used to, but now I think also I'm a little bit disconnected from the players. So it's obviously when you don't have that closeness to the players, you don't kind of feel like you understand it as well and you don't, you're not relating to the players. I mean now Morpheus, obviously, him coming back doing a great year and emotionally you're attached to that right because you know he's going to retire. But nowadays not really.
Speaker 2:I don't really watch five sets anymore so you know, even though I'm a big fan of tennis, this is what I do and all but um, you know, I I cannot just wait and sit, you know, and watch, like a five set match yeah you know. So either you need to allow people to move during the match to do something to make sure that they don't lose their interest, or you can adapt the rules without.
Speaker 1:I mean, you say that, but then you spend eight hours on a tennis court. And how do you do that? How do you physically and mentally manage to stay on a tennis court for eight hours coaching?
Speaker 2:You know we talk about the mental side of the game. You know when you reach a certain level, so I think that helps me. Uh, loving what you do as well. Help obviously, if, uh, if, uh, if you step on the court without loving what you do, without loving your students you know, loving the way they improve, and all that could be challenging because obviously, especially in Dubai, you know, when we arrive in May, june, it's like 40 degrees. Sometime with the humidity, you reach 45. Okay, how do you do it? It's challenging but, yeah, you know I'm built for it.
Speaker 2:I make sure also that you know I get prepared physically. You know when I have time. You know I make sure that I'm fit enough, you know to handle it Because, yeah, it's not easy because you are talking about the physical part. But also, imagine, during eight hours, you know talking to people, giving instructions, correcting, finding new ideas, new solutions, and all you know it's you know. That's why also the off-court work is really important. That's why also the off-court work is really important.
Speaker 2:Come on the court with your sessions prepared. If you just step on the court without knowing what you will do, without knowing what your student needs, you waste time, you waste energy and this is where you can feel that the session becomes tough mentally and physically. So how do you plan your sessions? So once I know my students so after a couple of hours you know where the students want to go, you know what he needs to improve I prepare a program on a couple of weeks to reach a certain target, after maybe can be one term, it can be 10 sessions, it depends on the profile, and then I try to keep track with what I've prepared. Obviously, you need to do some adjustments depending on what you do. If the player improves at the right pace when it's a competitor or elite players, you need to see the results if that helps or not. So this is pretty much it.
Speaker 1:And how do you track it? Do you write it down? Do you have it in a computer? Do you just have everything in your head? How do you?
Speaker 2:I'm a bit old school with that. I write it down maybe too much, but now I'm trying to go into the computer. You have some application that can help you easily to track. I need to start working on it, but I like the old school fashion.
Speaker 1:Me too. I like a pen and paper for that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2:Scribble here, scribble there. I carry it in my bag and when I get home I try to read myself. I also share it with the students, not every time and not with all the students, but at a certain level I tell them okay, look, this is what we've been practicing. Do you think now that you control what you did, or do we need to do more? And then, boom, we move to the next step.
Speaker 1:I mean your time management must be very good, because, first of all, you're coaching full time. Now you're growing the French Tennis Academy. You brought on another coach, so it's no no longer just you, so you need to be able to manage another person. There's all the admin side of getting your lessons booked, the cancellations, rescheduling the payments, and you do all of this. I guess, yeah. Then you need to also self promote. You know social media, all these kind of things. So currently you're a one-man team and you're trying to grow that into more of a business, right? So what are the challenges that you're facing with with that?
Speaker 2:so, as you said, since I was alone, it was pretty easy, you know, to deal with that because you know you want to book your session. You book it through me, directly, through whatsapp or to the you know Instagram page, whatever, but it's with me because through whatsapp, or to the you know instagram page, whatever, but it's with me because I was alone. Now, with the new coach coming, uh, we'll do it, you know, for the beginning, you know I'll try to show him how to do it, but obviously, you know, in the couple of months I would say maybe for the new season in sept, we will have someone taking care of this, so then we can just focus on being on the court and not, as you said, okay, this guy canceled, I want to move the session. We'll find someone to do it, so then we can be more efficient on the court.
Speaker 1:It makes sense, right. You need to allocate your time towards the players and being on court, making sure the training is the quality that you want it to be. If you're chasing all the other stuff in the business, then you know that's when you start to lose on the quality on court as well.
Speaker 2:Exactly. You arrive on the court, you're already tired, your mind is Exactly so. Yeah, this is something that will will change definitely in the next couple of months.
Speaker 1:You talked about kids. I mean tennis is a very popular sport for kids in general, and especially in the UAE. How many adults do you have that start playing tennis?
Speaker 2:I would say right now, I would say it's nearly a 50-50. But the issue I was having is that, you know, I was on my own for some time, so obviously you refuse some people, you know. So the good point is that, yes, I was busy but at the same time I couldn't take all the people who wanted to join the academy. Take all the people who wanted to join the academy, but I would say right now it's a 50-50.
Speaker 2:As I told you at the beginning of the video, I really want to focus on the kids' development, to make sure that they start the basics from an early age, to give them the best and all the options. You know they need to become a good tennis player, or at least to have a strong, you know motricity base and uh, you know, to have a good coordination and then you can go to any other spot. This is what's good in tennis. You know you can. You can be average tennis player, but you can build a really strong motricity which will help you in any sport you will do or any physical activity you will do in your life.
Speaker 1:Some people say that tennis is the sport like piano is to music. It's a great foundation sport. So if you can play piano, it's easier to learn to play other instruments. If you play tennis, it's easy to learn how to play other sports. Do you think that's?
Speaker 2:true. Yeah, that's true, because you have to deal with the ball, you have to deal with the racket and you have to deal with your body. So you have to combine all these aspects in a very short time. So that will make you quick, for sure. So any sport where you need a fast reaction, you can do it. Maybe technically you might not be good in the other sport you will do, but at least if I throw you a basketball ball, you will be able to catch it.
Speaker 1:You will be able to see where the ball will bounce. Yeah, that makes sense. And yeah, what age do you think is a good age to start playing tennis?
Speaker 2:Four is good because four you walk, you run, you can catch maybe a ball. Again, you have some kids with some natural abilities. You know, at four they will be able to hit the ball. So no, but four, five is a good age. So no, but four, five is a good age. And I will also say that you know you need to do many sports, you know, when you are young, not only one. Okay, this is what I tell my students and my parents' students. You know, let the kids play different sports At some point, at some age. You know they will choose if they want to focus on only one spot, but being lucky enough and having the, you know, the chance to try different things because tennis is an individual sport, you know. So if you do something as a team, you know on the side can be good it will develop many things in your mind, you know, and this is really important. But yeah, I mean four, five, you know, let them start young, you know, to give them the best chances.
Speaker 1:My daughter will be four and a half. Well, she's four and a half now. She'll be five this year. How do you keep the attention of a four-year-old on a tennis court for an hour?
Speaker 2:good question. So, first thing, fun. Okay, they need to have fun. Sometimes if you just talk too much about tennis, they lose the the focus for sure. So make sure that the games and the exercises are fun, make them win. I mean make them win in terms of if they see that you hit the ball out or the ball is out, you lose the point. No, if you manage to hit the ball, that's good. If you hit the ball over the net but then the ball goes out, it's fine, it's good. You did something good over the net, but then the ball goes out, it's fine, it's good. You did something good, you know, and it has to be, you know, funny.
Speaker 2:Uh, I would recommend, you know, for the at that age to make them play in a group. You know, because being alone with the coach facing you like this okay, do this, do that can be a bit boring and I can understand that. So, yeah, group would be the best. And then always create a fun environment and you can make them do things that you would like to see without telling them you have to do this. I don't know if I'm clear. So let's say, if I want your daughter to hit a forehandhand cross court. I will not necessarily ask her to know to hit cross court, but I will set up, you know, the court and the drill in a way. Maybe I would put lines like this and cones okay, make sure that the ball follows the line yeah, so it's more visual.
Speaker 2:Yeah you know, because being too technical, even with adults, you see that sometimes too, too too much technical information make them lost. So imagine, imagine, uh, four or five years old kids yeah okay. So yeah, I mean the. The word to to keep in mind is the.
Speaker 1:You know, let them having fun and do you have kind of like do you have exercises that people can do with their kids at home just to improve that coordination, or something that can help? Them get a feel for how to play with the ball.
Speaker 2:Sometimes I have parents that play with me and the kids are two, three. For me it's better if they do it at home than sending them on the court for 20 minutes. It's more about you know catching, rolling, you know moving. You don't even need the the racket. You know at that age. Uh, give them the racket to so then they understand that this is what you will use to hit the ball. But just, you know simple games, even with your daughter. I don't know if you do it already I bought her the thing.
Speaker 1:You know that it's like a glove and it sticks, yeah, yeah. And then you throw the ball and you catch it. Yeah, that's really good. And she loves that. It's so much fun. You know like throwing up and it catches like the Velcro thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:She loves that so much yeah.
Speaker 2:So you do passing, catching, you know, can start like this, and that's more than enough to start with.
Speaker 1:I was having a conversation two weeks ago with my mom about the fact that I'm the only left-handed person in my family and we got very deep into this conversation about the difference between left-handed and right-handed people. Do you see a difference in the way left-handed people approach tennis to right-handed people? Yeah, you are weird.
Speaker 2:No, I'm joking, no, I feel that I couldn't explain the reason, but we can see it in the, I mean in the professional level. Uh, obviously we have left. We have less lefties, you, you know, in the world, and I feel this is what I realized on the court. I feel that you can find, for example, wider zones, like, for example, I would say, on the serve, on the slice serve. I feel that the lefty can find a zone more extreme than the right-handed players.
Speaker 1:And I cannot explain why, but this is what I that's very interesting because when I did the episode with nicholas the osteopath, he was saying the same thing about the kick okay, and I was trying to get him to understand more like physiological side between a left-handed and right-handed person and he couldn't really explain it either. But he said the same thing that left-handed people tend to find more spin or angle for some unexplained reason so maybe some professional could you know tell us why.
Speaker 2:But I'm just talking about what I've realized. Yeah, I don't know if I'm wrong or if it's just me, but this is something that I realize. And obviously having less lefty players gives you an advantage, Okay. And then it depends on you, on how you use it and how you develop it. But obviously when you're going to play tennis, you know mostly I mean 80, 90% of the time as a right-handed player I will play right-handed player and maybe 10% I will play lefty player.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but same for a left-handed player. I hate playing against left-handed players because I always play against right-handed players, so I think it's equally as awkward for a left-handed player to play a left-handed player than as a right-handed player to play a left-handed player right-handed player to play right left-handed player, but see that that will give you more chances to to be annoying, I would say, for your opponents, you know so yeah, I mean you have more access to the backhand of the player, cross court and you're used to playing that shot, whereas a right-handed player will play down the line to the back and you need to adapt your game against the lefty player.
Speaker 2:It's true, but uh, that would be interesting to. I don't know if there is a name for a professional being able to talk about this. I will look into it. That could be interesting.
Speaker 1:I'll try and find some details for it below and put some links if I find anything interesting, but otherwise it'll just be a mystery for another day. What do you think the future holds for the French Tennis Academy?
Speaker 2:I hope that in the next two, three years we can have a bigger team, not too big, because I also know and realize that when you get too big sometimes you lose your main vision, because you know, having too much humans to deal with can be challenging.
Speaker 2:But yeah, in my mind I would love to have a team of four, five players in the coaches sorry, in the next three, four years, working together with different background, but the same vision, because you know la French tennis, it's all about having the same vision. Everybody is welcome as a student, everybody is welcome as a coach, as long that you know you, you we work, you know, on the same path, even if they're not french. Yeah, you know the. You know danny, our new coach is not french but, uh, you know, I like the way he is. He has a lot of experience and obviously his mind, our minds, are kind of close to each other. So for me it doesn't matter to you know if you are not French, if you don't speak French, because you know tennis is something that you can teach you know, what do you think makes a good coach?
Speaker 2:Patience. I had that conversation yesterday with actually this morning with some of the students. They were like oh my God, charles, how can you deal with us? We are doing so many mistakes and all. You have to be patient. Everyone has a different level. You cannot expect all the players to make it right, otherwise everybody would be Roger, they wouldn't need you. There is only one, roger, and you'd make no money. Exactly, yeah, that's true. So, yeah, I mean you have to be patient, passionate, obviously, and you need to. You know we talked about it earlier. You need to learn, you know to be willing to learn.
Speaker 2:Maybe the way I'm coaching now is not the same way I was coaching 10 years ago, you know. So you need to be aware of the changes of the game. So you need to be aware of the changes of the game. Adapt the coaching tools. Maybe what will work for you will not work for another student.
Speaker 2:And this is, for me, what's the most challenging, because if I have eight hours of coaching during the day, it's not eight times the same session. Yeah, you're not just copy-pasting. No, absolutely not. So, yeah, this is a. This is the most important. And to be physically prepared as well, because I mean it can happen. You know, sometimes I had a really long week, busy week, and if I see that I'm not fresh, you know, mentally and physically, I know that and I feel that, ok, right now I'm not doing well, you know, I have to be honest. You know I'm not scared to say that it can happen. It's really really rare that happens, but it can. And yeah, and again, if you know what you do when you step on the court, that makes your life easy. Do when you step on the courts, that makes your life easy. But I can imagine if I, if you just get out from your car and you step on the court without knowing what you will do too long, 60 minutes.
Speaker 1:Can it be a on those days where you know you, you have, you have been busy, you're tired. Mentally you get tired, which is normal. Physically you get tired. How do you reset, like what? What helps you get back to that positive and healthy?
Speaker 2:place. So you know I have my wife here so she's a really good support my, my kid now. So you know, after a long day, when you know you get home, my kid is sleeping, obviously, but you, you got your wife, you talk. Sometimes I don't really want to talk but I know she's here. You know around have, you know, close friends in town. You know. So when you are away from home it's really important to have some, to have your people. You know, and I'm lucky that you know I have good students. I would take us sometimes. You know it can be challenging but I have good students. So even when the the day is long and tough, you know that I had a good time on the courts, you know laughing and all, and that's really important and that makes my job easier.
Speaker 1:I would say, most of them come to have fun, right and it's uh, they're coming for a positive moment, so they're bringing some positivity to you, which I think is also helpful. In the amount of hours that you do on court, and as long as you can give back that same energy and give back fun, I think then everyone leaves relatively with a smile on their face. Is there anything else that you want to discuss that you feel like the world needs to know?
Speaker 2:As we said, we got a new coach joining the team, so that's the the right time for you guys to take the rackets.
Speaker 1:Meet us on the courts, then he's a great coach. And um, what else? You can join as well. I would. I want to join. Actually, that's one of my things for 2025 I want to start playing tennis again. So now you have no excuses, and I need to lose like 20 kilos, and I think playing tennis is probably a way that I could actually do it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree with that physical and I'd rather lose it on a tennis court than like running on a treadmill. But if, if people want to get in touch with the french tennis academy, they want to book a lesson with you or with danny, how can they get in touch, so you?
Speaker 2:have the instagram page la french tennis academy. That's easy to remember. We'll put a link uh, from the easy to remember. We'll put a link uh from the instagram page. That's easy. Soon we're gonna have, maybe, an application. You know where you can see the slots available. You can book your court. You can also rent the court when it's available. So now you guys have no excuses and, uh, we hope to see you soon on the court. Thank you, thank you so much.
Speaker 1:It was a pleasure having this conversation with you. I learned more about you than I knew, even though I've known you for a long time. Yeah, that's true, look forward to having you back here again, maybe in a few months, and talking about the progress of the French tennis.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and, yeah, maybe we'll do one more on the court today because it's a bit hot, but we might, you know what we should do.
Speaker 1:We should do a podcast of Wasps playing tennis. Yeah, but I probably won't be able to say anything because I'll be so tired and just out of breath.
Speaker 2:But we'll do that. So keep in mind what Max said He'll come on the court and we'll do the same video. Thank you guys. Thanks Charles.