Team mentality drives French trio into Australian Open semi-finals

A trio of French juniors who have known one another for nearly a decade – since the age of 8 – are doing their best to make the Australian Open feel more like Roland Garros with respective runs to the semi-finals here in Melbourne.

“I hope it will be a ‘Frenchies final,’” laughed Timo Legout, the world No.27, who beat another French player, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on a boiling hot day, as temperatures climbed north of 40 degrees Celsius. 

Legout, a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 winner, will take on No.1 seed Harold Mayot, also of France, who beat Switzerland’s Dominic Stephan Stricker, while their French compatriot, Arthur Cazaux, the fifth seed, saved two match points to upset No.2 Martin Damm of the U.S., 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10-4).

“We are all pushing each other,” added Legout, who trains just east of Paris with longtime coach Francois-Xavier Paulin. “Harold and Arthur give me the fight to improve, improve, improve because they are (physically) stronger than me. It’s really nice to see these two other guys to improve with and keep me at a high level."

Cazaux, meanwhile, is due to meet Latvia’s Karlis Ozolins, who saved a match point himself in a 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-3 win over Egor Agafonov of Russia.

While the French players are all pushing one another, none of them train together, with Mayot based at the national training centre at Roland Garros, Legout just outside of Paris and Cazaux located in Montpellier.

“It’s wonderful to have many French players still in," said Cazaux, who was a top junior handball player before choosing tennis full time. “We really have pushed up together (in the rankings).”

The last French boy to win here in Melbourne was Alexandre Sidorenko in 2006, and before that Gael Monfils, in 2004.

All three French players have discussed this week a pointed effort to improve their mentality on court, something they say is key at the top of the junior game.

“I work every day on it, on my mentality,” said Cazaux. “In the last two months, I’ve taken my level up (mentally). I have a mental coach. I work on my mentality in practice, but in the matches too. It’s work (I do) every day, every moment.”

There was a moment on Thursday when it appeared that 14-year-old Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva would soon be packing her bags to go back to her home country of Andorra, down a set and 4-1 to American No.2 seed Robin Montgomery in the girls’ singles draw.

But the youngest player in the event wouldn’t be deterred, and fought back to 5-5 in the second before the players were ushered off of the court due to the extreme temperatures, a break that lasted nearly two hours and thirty minutes across Melbourne Park.

A cold shower and a chat with her dad (who is also her coach) buoyed Jimenez Kasintseva to continue her comeback trend all the way, winning 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 to launch herself into her first major semi-final. In fact, this is her first Grand Slam tournament – ever.

“At the beginning my legs weren’t moving much, I wasn’t playing my best tennis,” said the No.9 seed, who saved three match points in her previous round, also a three-setter. “I turned on (in set two). I played my tennis. When I’m doing that, it’s usually how I win.”

“There was a moment I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, my match is going to end here,’” she said of the second set. “I just… I don’t know how I did it. But this is incredible. To be in the semi-finals, I didn’t think I would get here. I’m going to keep fighting.”

Her next fight is against No.13 seed Bai Zhuoxuan of China, who won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, vs. No.8 seed Polina Kudermetova.

The top half of the girls’ draw features Poland’s Weronika Baszak, ranked 39th, against Alexandra Vecic of Germany, the world No.34, who stunned top seed Elsa Jacquemot in the second round earlier in the week.

Vecic, without expectations heading to Melbourne, said she was coming into the tournament after a successful pre-season, training in Germany with the national team there, as well as her private coach, Torsten Popp, and her father, Srdjan.

“Every match has been a new, amazing feeling,” said Vecic, who turned 18 earlier this month. “I feel like I’m fitter than my opponents. I feel very confident in my footwork and don’t make too many unforced errors.”

She’ll need that kind of tennis against Baszak, the Pole who says she trusts her big serve and forehand as a one-two punch. Vecic, however, has plenty of interests away from the court, too.

“I love to go for runs in nature, read books, meet friends, stuff like that,” she said, smiling. “I always listen to music before walking on court. Usually German rap, which I think makes me tough (laughing). Or Selena Gomez, I really like her music.”

While Vecic is listening to tunes pre-match, Baszak said what she enjoys most post-match is a vanilla or chocolate ice cream, but only if it’s in reward of a match well-fought.

Thursday she had little issue with Hong Yi “Cody” Wong, winning 6-4, 6-2 behind 23 winners, including five aces.

“The heat was exhausting. I was trying to play aggressive and return well, so I was taking a lot of risk,” she said. “I’m very happy with that win. My first semi-final of a Grand Slam. It feels amazing.”

In fact, of the eight semi-finalists between the boys’ and girls’ draws, only Mayot has been this far before, making the semis at Wimbledon last season.

Baszak was cheered on by fellow Polish player Iga Swiatek on Thursday, the 2018 Wimbledon junior winner who made the fourth round of the women’s main draw here, as well as the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles.

In Melbourne with her father, Baszak has been video chatting with her coach, Krzysztof Czubak, who remains in Poland. They have talked for about an hour each day, usually prepping for the next match.

“(My coach) hasn’t been sleeping,” she said, laughing. “He stays up all night to watch my matches. He makes sure to set an alarm. We talk about the tactics, all of the things we need to know for a match.”

While Swiatek could be some motivation for Baszak, the French trio of boys in the semis have one another. Only two – potentially – could make the final, but Thursday they each lived to fight another day.

For Legout, whose father was an Olympic table tennis player, he sure hopes it is him. Even if that means having to beat one, if not both, of his remaining compatriots.

“It’s been a very fun trip. I feel really good here,” Legout said of his first time being in Australia. “I hope I can stay here through the final.”