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Luca Van Assche, philosopher & mathematician
Read more about Frenchman
December 10, 2024
ATP Tour
Luca Van Assche makes his second appearance in Jeddah.
By ATP staff
Luca Van Assche draws a unique approach on and off the court, balancing the rigors of professional tennis with the challenges of studying university-level mathematics. And the 20-year-old Frenchman excels at both.
While other players may choose to take a short break, Van Assche chooses to pursue his studies at Paris Dauphine University. His online classes are often included in Van Assche's training sessions, as shown in our new 'Journey to Jeddah' video series.
“Even if I win 50 grand slams, I won't play when I'm 60, that's why I continued. I enjoy it too,” said Van Assche. “It's hard to do both. At the moment, I am planning it well.”
This #NextGenATP superstar is building a career that is more than just rankings and medals – it's a journey of honing not only his performance on the court, but his skills off the court as well.
“This is a very smart guy,” said analyst Robbie Koenig. “The issue is that he is studying mathematics at university. If your mind is wired that way, it will only help you in your tennis to solve problems. Between the ears, he is more trained than most.”
Another statistic Van Assche may enjoy is the number of his competitors in the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF who are currently in the Top 20. Last year's semifinalist in Jeddah, World No. 128 in the PIF ATP Rankings will qualify. aim to follow those steps.
In fact, Van Assche, countryman Arthur Fils and American Alex Michelsen are aiming for a second consecutive trip to the 20-and-under event, a feat accomplished by only six players, four of whom are currently in the Top 20: Andrey Rublev, Alex de Minaur, Lorenzo Musetti and Frances Tiafoe.
“I want to do everything to win this tournament and I hope to succeed,” said Van Assche, who is sixth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah.
“If we see the names of the players who played in the Next Gen ATP Finals, they are now famous and very good players. It's encouraging to say, 'Okay, I'm on the right track.'”
The French player's first success – such as reaching the third round of this year's Australian Open – allowed him to set a high score.
“My main goal is to have big dreams,” said Van Assche. If you don't regret yourself and know that you have done everything, I think that is very important to me.
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