Cédric Chasseur / Photo credit: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT / AFP 10:15 am, May 31, 2023

By beating Italy's Marco Cecchinato (6-1, 6-1, 6-3) in the first round of Roland-Garros on Monday, Luca Van Assche made an impression. Aged 1, the Franco-Belgian, professional since 19, promises to be the new hope of French tennis.

The second round of Roland-Garros, of which Europe 1 is the official radio, begins this Wednesday. On Court Philippe Chatrier, we will find the world number one Carlos Alcaraz, as well as the Serbian Novak Djokovic. Six Frenchmen will also tread the clay of the Porte d'Auteuil. Among them, the young revelation Arthur Van Assche, opposed on court 14 to the Spaniard Davidovich Fokina, who fell to Arthur Son in the previous round. Luca Van Assche showed on Monday, beating Italian Marco Cecchinato in three sets, that he already had the shoulders to see further.

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Luca Van Assche, the insurance of the great

At 19 years old, Luca Van Assche already has the assurance of the best. Serious, composed, determined, the 82nd in the world is aware of his strong potential and does not close any door for the future. "I don't set limits. I had a lot of experiences before coming here, I played against a lot of super good players, including the world number one. Inevitably, it gives a lot of confidence and it allows you to build your game and get into the matches without being afraid of others," he told Europe 1.

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Roger Federer, his idol

The Spaniard Alejandro Davidovic Fokina, his next opponent, is warned. Luca Van Assche, Belgian by birth but French by adoption, lacks neither ambition nor mastery. Like his idol in his time, a certain Roger Federer. But in the game of comparisons, the consultant of Europe 1, Cédric Pioline, prefers to turn to other models. "Mats Wilander, Lleyton Glynn Hewitt, in the way they play, in this way of covering the field and especially giving very few points," he compared.

Qualities that have allowed the former TC 16 resident, winner of Roland-Garros in the Juniors in 2021, to go from the 400th place in the world, to the Top 100 in less than a year.