Amid all the demands of professional tennis, Luca Van Assche still finds time to immerse himself in his mathematics studies at Paris Dauphine University. Upon returning to France from US Open qualifying, the 20-year-old was greeted not by rest, but by an awaiting exam. This balance of tennis and studying is highly important for Van Assche, whose mother is an Italian teacher.
“My mom always told me, ‘If you go to school, have good grades and finish well. Then you can go and play tennis, two hours, four hours, whatever you want. But first you have to finish your homework and everything,'” Van Assche told ATP Tour.com.
“When you are doing tennis the whole day, sometimes it’s good that your brain is working on something else. Of course I would like to have an incredible career and win a lot of matches. But after my tennis career, I also want to explore something different.”
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The three-time ATP Challenger Tour champion is using his platform to speak with youth on his experience of being a professional athlete, yet continuing to study at the same time.
Fifth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, Van Assche is an ambassador for Yannick Noah’s foundation, Association Fête le Mur, which strives for ‘Tennis against exclusion’. The Belgian-born player has been a part of Fête le Mur initiatives at multiple events this year, including at Roland Garros, the ATP Masters 1000 event in Monte-Carlo and two French ATP Challenger Tour tournaments.
More than 100 children have had a chance to meet the #NextGenATP star through Fête le Mur.
“This association is helping young people who are living in an atmosphere that is not very good, so they are helping them a lot,” Van Assche said. “I’ve been working with them since March of last year. It’s something that I like to see, young people who like to do sports and everything. And if I can help them, of course I will do it.”
<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/08/14/16/48/vanassche-montecarlo-2024-kids.jpg?w=100%25&hash=B16B33A38F8403C373A1F33E7F4459F9″ style=”width:100%;” alt=”Luca Van Assche at the 2024 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.” />
Luca Van Assche at a Fête le Mur initiative in Monte-Carlo. Credit: Fête le Mur
Fête le Mur, founded in 1996, was born out of a vision from Noah, former No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings, who was discovered by the late Arthur Ashe at a tennis clinic in Cameroon.
During a violent general strike in France in 1995, protesters were in the streets, discontent with the government’s policies. The 1983 Roland Garros champion began to act at an important time. He partnered Severine Thieffry, events manager at IMG, to reach underprivileged neighbourhoods and offer them — through the sport of tennis — a path of education, integration and all around civic and sporting values.
Collaborations with professionals such as Van Assche and former WTA No. 12 Tatiana Golovin helps Fête le Mur achieve its goal of leaving a lasting legacy by establishing self esteem within the disadvantaged youth. Van Assche last year appeared at the inauguration of a playground in Roubaix, where he met and interacted with students.
“When I see them, it’s little kids. I speak with them, they ask me some things,” Van Assche said. “Also with my brands, we receive a lot of gifts, so I can give it to them as a present. They are happy.”
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