Behind the desire to enter the professional world, each player has her own story. That of Carole Monnettoday number 15 in France, started in Ukrainebefore arriving in France, from his second year of life. Tennis very quickly became part of his daily life, and never leaves him. French champion at 15, she is now 231st in the world, with a much higher ‘best ranking’ (162nd). His ambitions are great, alongside his lifelong coach, Hervé Romain. Tennis Newswho met the young player in 2017, was once again able to chat with her, on the occasion of theEngie Nantes Open.
Video – Carole Monnet spoke to Tennis Actu in Nantes
“In South America, there is the stress of having paid for plane tickets”
Hello Carole Monnet. You are playing more and more in France at the moment, which was not the case before. Is it a financial or sporting strategy?
It’s a bit of that. This year, I experienced a lot of time difference, and I decided to make myself known to the French public. There is also a question of surface area. I usually go to South America, but this year, I said to myself: ‘Why not come and play in France?’ to be on hard. I think my game goes very well on clay, but also on hard. The financial aspect also means that I play in France. Staying in France avoids taking flights every week. The flight back to South America is very expensive.
I also play in France to be able to apply my game system. For example, I sometimes went to South America, and with fatigue, I sometimes had non-matches. Being in France allows me to correctly apply my style and my playing principles. It takes a little pressure off. In South America, if I want to try things, there is the stress of having paid for plane tickets, whereas in France, I am not far from home. I can spend more time practicing to get my game system in place.
“Feeling this French support is very nice, I’m not really used to it”
Is it important to have the support of the public when you play in France?
Downright. I’m not really used to it. In South America, people are starting to know me well because I’ve been going there for several years, but feeling this French support is very nice.
We are used to seeing you, especially at the Roland-Garros qualifications, but for those who know you less: can you present your style of play?
Yes, I am quite aggressive, who can also counter very well. It’s good to be able to find that happy medium in a match, defend when I need to defend, attack when I have the opportunity to attack and then move forward. I try to be strong from the first two shots, so the serve and return to put myself in the advantage from the rally.
Do you have a surface preference between clay and hard?
I will see depending on the upcoming tour and how I can play against all types of games. I don’t know yet. I won on hard court and on clay. I also won matches on grass. I feel like I don’t have a preference for hard court or clay. I adapt. Afterwards, there is what I like and what I am good at, they are two different things, but I like the hard part.
Mag Tennis News with Carole Monnet… at Roland-Garros 2019
“Novak Djokovic… he’s the one who made me dream”
Where are you from in France?
I come from the South. I was based in Narbonne with my coach, my parents are from Toulouse, and now I am more in the Cévennes, in the Gard.
It’s quiet there…
Yes, it’s very quiet. It’s this contrast that I like, with the tournaments, the flights, the planes, this stress, the noise in the restaurant… To cut it completely and come and recharge your batteries in the Cévennes with the mountains and this magnificent landscape, it’s a contrast I need. I go there more to disconnect than to train.
To return to your background, you were born in Ukraine, which is not trivial, before growing up in France. Can you explain to us?
I have a fairly unusual story. I was born in Ukraine. I was adopted by a beautiful French family at the age of 2. I came to France, initially to Marseille before basing myself in Toulouse. With my two brothers, my parents wanted us to play sports at all costs. Initially I was involved in athletics, then my brothers got injured. Being the youngest, I didn’t want to run alone. My parents accepted that I quit athletics, but told me to choose another sport. Seeing tennis on television, somewhat by chance, I said to myself: ‘I’m going to try tennis’. There was Novak Djokovic playing at the time. He’s the one who made me dream, my idol. I like his story. With the war in his country and this spirit of resilience, he fought that to become number 1 in the world for all these years, it’s incredible. I know he’s not liked by everyone, but there are people who support him, including me.
On we go. 🫶🼠pic.twitter.com/YGtfrhk9w2
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) October 9, 2024
“I was told I had a good Ukrainian accent”
Have you kept a link with Ukraine?
During the pandemic, but also the current war, I kept a link to see how they were doing. There were bombings, so I wanted to know what my orphanage was like and the people who took care of me. They went to Poland with the children.
Do you speak with Ukrainian players on the circuit?
It happens to me, yes. I am very close to Daria Snigur (158th in the world). When we see each other, we train together and I try to speak Ukrainian. I’m not fluent at all, I only know a few words, but I’ve been told I have a good accent!
Did you stay in France during your training?
No, I’m more of a globetrotter. Thanks to the agency I am in (EDGE Agency), there are bases all over the world, notably in Boca Raton (United States). They are very close to Rick Macci (ex-coach of Andy Roddick, Jennifer Capriati, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams and Venus Williams). I was able to benefit from his advice and his academy to train. I didn’t train much in France. The conditions are different abroad, it’s very hot, there are a lot of courts, we sweat, whereas in France, there are periods, like winter, when we put on a down jacket (laughs).
Darja Semenistaja and Carole Monnet are the champions of Bucharest (video: WTA Tiriac Foundation Trophy) pic.twitter.com/EZZAwyi1V8
— solid_video (@solidvideo4358) September 14, 2024
“Hervé (Romain, his coach) knows my strengths and my weaknesses and we will go up there together”
Is it important to put yourself in extreme conditions to train, by going to hot countries for example?
It’s hard, but I like it. There was also India, where it is very humid. In France, we spend more time warming up and preparing before training, while in other countries, we are already hot. It’s so hot and humid that you’re sweating before you even get on the court. You have to know how to play in the cold, the heat, the wind, indoors, outdoors, grass, hard, clay… Tennis is about adaptation.
How long have you been working with Hervé Romain?
We started when I was 12, a bit by chance. I wanted the workouts to be more difficult, to put more intensity, to be more precise in all the patterns. Well, I was 12 years old… I watched a video on YouTube, and came across that of Léa Romain, who was French champion x times. She inspired me a lot. I was 15/3 at that time, and I saw his rigor during training. When I saw that, I wanted to do an internship there. Finally it happened. At first it was a week, then I came more often.
The first tournament where he (Hervé Romain) came to accompany me was at Petits As, for my last year. I had pre-qualified by performing well. It was from there that the career began.
Is it important to have a coach who knows you inside out?
For me, it’s important. I have complete confidence in him. I tried to change coaches and have a different approach, but it didn’t suit me. I have trouble trusting people, it takes a lot of time. If we don’t have confidence, it’s complicated. Hervé knows my strengths and my weaknesses and we will go up there together. Stability is important, and rather than changing coaches, it’s good to have a bigger team, with a physio, a physical coach… perhaps in the future.
“Together we have achieved incredible things and I am very grateful to him for his friendship and dedication over the past 10 years. I consider myself lucky to have been able to learn from him and his experiences. . @hrvromain pic.twitter.com/OzTa535YYG
— Carole Monnet (@MonnetCarole) April 27, 2023
“I’m not in the Top 50 yet…”
Can you give an initial assessment of this 2024 season?
No, the season is not over yet (laughs). I’m not yet in the top 50 or 100. The girls in the top 100 stopped their season, but I’m beyond 200th place, so I need to play. We’ll see at the end of the season. I really focus on my style of play, being very specific about what I have to do, and that’s the most important thing.
Mentally, how are you?
Yes, it’s a routine to keep. Training every day, playing matches at a high intensity, it can be tiring, but we get to a level where it requires so much precision that we don’t bother.
