Exclusive interview with a player from Belgium - Niels Desein.

How has your adventure with tennis started? How do you treat tennis now?

I started to play when i was 3 years old, my parents played a bit and they wanted to teach me I guess. I really loved tennis, I was almost whole the day at the tennis club, trying the play or watching my parents play.

This is a very expensive sport – coach, court training, balls, recovery, ticket for the whole world – How do you cope whit all these expenses? Do you have any sponsors, maybe support of the National Federation?

The federation helped me lot in the beginning of my carrer, they supported me with all of this. From this year and the next couple of years it will be different, I will have to play well and play some club matches in other countries so that I can keep playing tennis. Of course if I start to play better again then the prize money will raise also.

Some Russian players change their nationality for Kazakhstan, what do you think about it?

I really don't mind. It is the player who stays the same I think. Maybe it will have some advance but then that is good for them. Every player has to do what is the best for himself.

When you train, do you have a coach?

I practice in Belgium between some tournaments with some other Belgian players. Belgium is a small country so it is not so far driving to find a place to play. I also try to play with some younger players closer to the place where I live. For the moment I don't have a full time coach.

Do you have any pre-match rituals?

I take care of my rackets before a match, I will always play with a new string and make sure that my overgrips are new. That are the only 2 thing that are sure. The rest can change from day to day and how I feel.

Does cheering from the stands help you get the better play or not? Especially in foreign tournaments.

It depends, but when I feel good - yes. It is always nice that people are there and come to watch you play and they cheer for you. In some moments I can have more stress also but that depends of the moments.

What is your favorite surface ?

My favorite surface this year was clay, because after my shoulder injury that I had it was a little bit easier to play my better tennis there. I like some tournaments, but for me there in no special at this time

What are your interests? What are you doing in your free time?

My interests: I like to play football and watch it also a bit, because I played before. Cycling I like also and I am studying psychology.

How do you treat doubles?

For me depends on the moment. 2 years ago I was around 180 in doubles without focusing on it and was just for fun. Now I didn't play anymore for some time in doubles but from next year on I will do my best to improve that again and play more and get a better ranking. It will also be good for my singles game

Your the best friend on the tennis tour?

I have some friends on the tour, but I am not the most social guy. There are some players I know already for a long time like Dusan Lojda and Pierre Ludovic Duclos and with them I have a lot of contact when we are together on the tournaments. Those 2 and some Belgian players.

Kuba

READ MORE ON TENNIS ALTERNATIVE

Interview with Niels Desein 2012

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