One month before Les Petits As 2018, Léo Raquin, quarterfinalist and best french player last year, talk about his performance.
Level, atmosphere, pressure, a singular experience for Léo.
If you should describe Les Petits As in 3 words…
Exciting, satisfying and impressive.
How do you describe your experience on Les Petits As?
I retain my performance into the quarter finales. I was really proud to reach this stage of the competition. The atmosphere impressed me so, it’s a special feeling to play in front of that much spectators.
Will you say that it’s your best experience?
Yes, Les Petits As is my best experience.
That’s the biggest Junior tournament. The atmosphere and the number of spectators are exceptional but it’s also the highest level of tennis.
How Les Petits As is different from the other tournaments you have played? What did impress you the most?
The venue, the village inside and the central court are huge and croudy for a Junior tournament. It was a lot of adults, teenagers and kids, it was a really special atmopshere. But the most important it’s the tennis level, it was such a high level… There is not this level on any other Junior tournament.
How participating to Les Petits As was an important moment of your young career?
When you’re young, it’s the biggest U14 tournament you could play. You hear about it and people talk to you about Les Petits As from the day you start tennis: we know that all the best players have played or even won the tournament.
It’s very important to participate and to show your best tennis here. I’m pretty satisfied about my performance (quarterfinalist), even if I would prefer to win. I’m really happy with the tennis I have played on Les Petits As.
Interview by Pavel Clauzard
In partnership with Les Reporters Incrédules