Eliminated in the first round of the $15,000 in Grenoble by the qualifier Emilien Voisin, Robin Bertrand nevertheless remains a bright hope for French tennis. At only 18 years old, he is already well established in the top 1000, placed today in 875th place in the world. Focused on the senior circuit mainly since Roland-Garros junior 2021he was already a semi-finalist at Monastir in October, and he also reached the quarter-finals three times at the same venue. It only lacks a bit of regularity in order to grab more places and confidence. The Nîmes returned for Tennis News – among other things – on its progress and its objectives.
Robin Bertrand, 18, 875th at the ATP at the Tennis microphone
Today you are 18 years old you are part of the French hopes. How do you assess your progress since you joined the senior ITF draws?
It is an almost stable progression. Every year I progress Verry much, not a year ago I stagnated. Whether junior or senior, I have always progressed. I took my first ATP point in December 2020. I am currently 875th ATP, I am happy with my career but I hope to be able to do better in the years to come.
In 2021, we mainly saw you after Roland Garros junior on $15,000 or $25,000, how do you assess your last year as a junior before this changeover?
It was a bit of a consecration because I still spent 3-4 years doing juniors, being able to play almost all the grand slams, even if the Covid made me miss two, it was great. I loved it. In the two that I played I passed a lap, there was one where I left qualifying by saving match points… it was incredible.
These are moments that forge a career start…
Yes, it’s really good for morale, it’s good to be supported. Even if I feel well supported in my club, also by my parents, my coach, the people around me. There I really felt incredibly good.
What are for you the main differences between the players who play in the best junior tournaments and the first senior tournaments?
I find that in junior there are times a little easier, even if good in senior sometimes with some who bet… But otherwise in senior with the money that is at stake, the players starved to death. I find it harder as a senior. At first I made a few moves, including a half, but I find that it’s getting harder and harder to grab places. With training and continuing like this, I tell myself that it will be fine.
And compared to the game of the adversaries? Sofia Costoulas said that among the juniors it was only trying to hit hard, and that the approach was much more tactical among the seniors…
Exactly ! The seniors are a little smarter… they will vary a little more, type less than the juniors. Even if some try to vary in junior, it is much less than in senior. They will see right away that you have a weak point on a shot, and they will not stop playing on it. In addition behind them they will spread the word, and you will be known for that, and it will be more complicated to win. I honestly find it harder, but it’s better. It forges.
In 2021 we have often seen you in the 15,000 and 25,000$ in Monastir and in the French tournaments what are the steps for you in the medium term? Continue to collect points, hope for a few wild cards as a challenger…?
I would still like to go up in the rankings, so having wild cards as a challenger to help me would be great. Afterwards, otherwise get there on my own, earn my points in Future the hard way, and when I have the level to be there by myself, become a challenger, and I hope even higher. The Grand Slams would be amazing! In the long term anyway. Afterwards, if I play well on clay this year, why not hope for a wild card in qualifications at Roland…
Since you started the ITF, you’ve had a little irregularity in the results. Some very good weeks with quarters and a half in particular, but also other weeks that are a little more complicated. What do you think you lack to succeed in gaining consistency?
Normally I have a rather constant game, I am often consistent in my results. What I find difficult, as an adult there are customers from everywhere. From the first round we can come across players who do not quite match us. The tense match, with a knife, afterwards we don’t get out of it, we lose confidence and the tournaments after it’s a bit hard. While sometimes we have a good first lap to do, we do it, we go to the second lap, third lap, it is linked, confidence comes.
In a final full of twists and turns, Robin Bertrand (Occitanie, -2/6) overcame Florian Armand (PCA, 0) to conquer the Coupe de France for 15-16 year olds in Dijon. Video portrait of the young player of TC Les Hauts de Nîmes.. pic.twitter.com/dpTovehdom
— FFT (@FFTennis) August 17, 2019
What we can notice in these rankings is that you can be 1000th and have the 700th level, because there is not a huge difference in points…
Exactly, especially in a match, if your shots work well, you have the right power, everyone can win everyone I think in the future.
Today you are 875e worldwide and 15e best among players 18 or younger. I guess you must have rather high goals for the coming seasons?
Yeah I’m not putting too much pressure on the rankings for now. I try above all to progress, and to train for that. If I have to change my serve or my forehand and lose three times in the first round to win a tournament, I don’t mind. I try to hang on every game every point there is to take, I will take it. As I am young I tell myself that I have a little time, even if it passes I must climb as quickly as possible. My mentality is still to progress, although I am a gamer and I love to win, at the moment I realize that the most important thing is to progress. The more I progress, the more I will perform and the better my tournaments will be in the future.
For some time we have seen players arriving late on the circuit. Benjamin Bonzi top 100 at 25/26 years old, Arthur Rinderknech or even Cameron Norrie to name but a few, should it be motivating to tell yourself that it’s possible?
Yes exactly. A career is for the long term. What matters is getting there, whether it’s at 30 or 20, it doesn’t matter. If we manage to be in the top, that’s the main thing. That’s how I see things.
5th week of #preseason OVER ✅�’� for @MonnetCarole (20 years old #WTA n°270), Robin Bertrand (18 years old #ATP n°894), Wissam Abderrahman (18 years old #ITFjunior n°87), practicing with coach @hrvromain
☠�’� 🆘�’�👊#MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/50ZigJHzPq— Romain Tennis Team (@RomainTennisTea) January 24, 2022
So today it’s difficult to have access to images of ITF tournaments, can you describe your game for those who would like to know how you play? What are the strengths and weaknesses of your game?
I am a baseline attacker. I like to take my forehand. I’m starting to serve better, to slam my first ones and move forward well. Go to the net too if the guy is far away, and finish with a little short cross volley. Simple effective (laughs).
What are the points where you feel you could really improve?
I need to keep improving on serve, and from the baseline I think I need to improve my forehand shifts. That’s what I miss a bit.
So you’re 1.80m tall, so you’re one of the shortest players on the circuit… Do you consider that a disadvantage, or do you compensate with your other qualities?
I see it more as a strength because I tell myself that I can use my legs as a strength. I can try to get more balls than the big ones. After when we see Zverev who is starting to look for everything, we tell ourselves that it would be easier with this size, but it’s up to me to work so that it becomes a strength. I manage to compensate with my other qualities.
So today it seems that you are accompanied by the FFT which allowed you to have some wild cards in Monastir and in France, how important is its contribution in the context of your progress?
The FFT is starting to help me. It was a bit late, but I find it really easier. Having wild cards really helps you, there is less pressure since there are no qualifiers. I can score points more easily…everything is easier when you have wild cards. Even if we can come across the best players in the table, I like these matches because there’s no pressure. You do your best, you let go of your shots and he tenses up a bit, and I manage to find myself in my game.
You are part of a generation that seems golden with Luca Van Assche, Arthur Fils, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Sean Cuenin, even Gabriel Debru although he is younger, is it difficult to find your place and your way alongside them, or on the contrary is it a strength that allows you to develop and surpass yourself?
They are very good players, I tell myself that it is rather motivating. When I see them succeed I tell myself that I also want to do that. I find it good that many of us are trying to get there.
Are you a group ? Do you ever work together, or is it a bit each on his own and we end up in a tournament?
I find that we are each on our side, apart from those who work at the CNF. Then we see each other in the tournaments, we laugh together, we are a small group.
You have been working with your coach Pascal Courtois for 5 years, without counting the contribution of your father Renaud, what do they bring you from a tennis point of view, and how do they complement each other?
I find that Pascal is very motivated, always there. My father is a sports teacher next door, so he is not always present. My coach is always very motivated, he always has a smile, we play, we have fun. My father makes me play more at night, I work twice as much as the others and that’s what makes me where I am today.
From your point of view, how important is it to have a good relationship with your coach(es)?
Yes ! I absolutely need to be friends with my coach, to get on well with him, to laugh in training. Don’t be tense when you arrive. It’s okay to get yelled at sometimes, but it doesn’t have to be all the time. Laughing and having fun is really important.
Is their contribution also on a human level?
Yes ! They fully support me in my project. I feel good, relaxed. I know that if I am one day I am less into it I will always have their support and it feels good.
For you, is psychological support important for tennis players, and especially as a young person new to the circuit?
I think yes. I haven’t dug enough into mental preparation yet. I started to see a little meditation for example, but not in a very advanced way. I would like to take a mental trainer, I find it important. Our mood off the court carries over to the court. I question myself with each lost match, I should have done better. But it still motivates me to go back to work and put it back together. Criticism motivates me.
What can we wish you for the weeks and months or even the years to come?
I will try to move up the rankings, train even more and even better.
