Support for Roland Garros juniors at FFT/ITF/WTA/ATP education session
While on-court development, silverware and ranking points are at the forefront of minds at Roland Garros, the game’s rising stars have also benefitted from an FFT/ITF/ATP/WTA-led education session.
Such sessions, the latest of which was delivered by the FFT, are now commonplace at Junior Grand Slams and other events, and centre on the provision of in-person education opportunities for elite junior competitors on the player pathway.
The main thrust of the most recent session, which featured a highly enjoyable and informative Q&A with top pros Alize Cornet and Jurgen Melzer, was the media, including social media, and its place in the modern game.
Cornet spoke about how social media has evolved during her career and stressed the merits of players spending time in the real world and away from their phones. The 33-year-old also highlighted how important an individual’s mental health is.
Melzer, meanwhile, focused more on a player’s media obligations, whether that be a general media day or post-match interviews, and how best to approach those commitments and project oneself in the best way possible.
Both Cornet and Melzer agreed that a good command of the English language would prove beneficial as a tennis career unfolds and watching television, reading books and practising with friends are useful everyday learning tools.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) education team were also on-site in Paris and delivered a presentation advising players on the correct course of action should they receive online abuse or suspect corruption.
The underpinning emphasis of the education sessions is the person behind the player, making sure they have the off-court support and knowledge to enjoy the sport they love and have the best possible career within the game.
In short, such sessions are the product of key tennis stakeholder alignment, ensuring collaboration as an individual progresses along the pathway, especially during that key transition from a junior to a professional.
The next session will take place in the build-up to the Junior Championships at Wimbledon.