The Wallonia-Brussels tennis federation, Tennis Wallonie-Bruxelles, took stock of its training centre in Huy on Thursday, with a special focus on the over-18s.
Behind David Goffin, No. 7 in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) ranking, young talents on the French-speaking side include 22-year-old Raphael Collignon (ATP 121) and 23-year-old Gauthier Onclin (ATP 232).
There are also a number of younger players such as 19-year-old Emilien Demanet (ATP 586) and 20-year-old Jack Loge (ATP 717).
"It's the most we can hope for," said technical director Thierry Van Cleemput, who begins his final term in charge next year, "We cannot do any more than that. In fact, there has never been more."
"We're talking about a +18 team, rather than a pro team, because they are candidates to be full-fledged professionals on the circuit. We need to think Next Gen, because the Masters is taking place at the moment.
"We're trying to do our job around Steve (Coach Steve Darcis), around a coaching team that has a lot of talent. I try to bring my experience to the players, but also to the coaches," David Goffin's former personal coach added. ‘They are often neglected in terms of support and supervision.
"You have to realise that very few players go on to become full-fledged pros. What does it mean to be a pro, to be in the top 100, to play in the Grand Slams and in one season earn roughly €180,000? You can start working, but the hardest part is staying there."
The aspiring pros train at Huy, the Province Raquettes Arena and the Mons Centre, when they are not on the international circuit, and almost all follow the same path.
"The case of Jack (Loge) is interesting," said Thierry Van Cleemput, "because he did not meet the criteria set by the sponsoring authorities for entry to the centre. He wasn't good enough at youth or junior level. He didn't do any training with us, so he went through another system.
"But when he reached his goals, under Steve's watchful eye, we said we had to at least give him a try. Which just goes to show that the federation is not sectarian. The aim is to help people who have a chance of reaching international level."
