Arming our kids for the highest level", the objective of the new DTN

Tennis's interim national technical director Nicolas Escudé on Monday set out his objectives, "to arm our kids for the highest level", while stressing that "the last step", which leads to a Grand Slam title, could only be climbed by an individual will.

The 44-year-old is expected to be confirmed in his position after the French Open (24 May - 6 June), following a regulatory process.

QUESTION: What are your objectives as DTN?

ANSWER: "It is absolutely necessary that we put back volume and mass at the level of our young people. In poles where we will gather them, where we will be able to confront them, where we will be able to build them. Without putting them in direct competition from a very young age, things must be lively, there must be laughter, tears and sharing. One of my priorities will be to increase the volume at the bottom of the pyramid because I think there wasn't enough, that it was too selective. The more players we have, the more chance we have of having one who, somewhere, at some point, will go to the end with a trophy raised above his head. For the younger players, competition is important, but it is not an end in itself. To caricature, whether you have the world champions at the age of six, sixteen or junior, that's all very well. I'm interested in having one of them win the main draw at Roland Garros. I'm interested in that.

Q: You talk about recreating a French style of tennis. What do you mean by that?

ANSWER: "My vision is not to train our No. 1, but to arm our kids so that they reach the highest level as quickly as possible. We have to make the players aware of their responsibilities and what their job will be if they go down that road. And above all, make them aware that once they are practically at the top - because when I say at the top, it's when you lift the French Open or another Grand Slam cup above your head -, the last step is yours. Our job will have been done. The Federation has been criticised a lot, but when you look at the way our boys and girls have behaved over the last few years, the results are not far from being exceptional. Yes, indeed, the supreme thing is missing, the supreme trophy, the Grand Slam tournament. But is it our responsibility? Yes, if before we didn't do it right."

Q: Are you going to emphasise psychological work?

A: "It's a very important area for the top athlete. It is becoming more and more common in France, in all sports. Each player, each individual is different. For some it will be a shrink, for others mental preparation, yoga, meditation... The work will inevitably depend on the age of the children, but from the youngest age, they will have to be made aware of the importance of this area.

Interviewed at the press conference