Van Assche using platform to inspire the 'Next Gen'

pAmid all the demands of professional tennis, a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/luca-van-assche/v0dz/overview'Luca Van Assche/a still finds time to immerse himself in his mathematics studies at Paris Dauphine University. Upon returning to France from a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/us-open/560/overview'US Open/a 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./p

p"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./p

p"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."/p

[ATP APP]

pThe 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./p

pFifth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, Van Assche is an ambassador for a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/yannick-noah/n022/overview'Yannick Noah/arsquo;s foundation, Association Fecirc;te le Mur, which strives for lsquo;Tennis against exclusionrsquo;. The Belgian-born player has been a part of Fecirc;te le Mur initiatives at multiple events this year, including at a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/roland-garros/520/overview'Roland Garros/a, the ATP Masters 1000 event in Monte-Carlo and two French ATP Challenger Tour tournaments. /p

pMore than 100 children have had a chance to meet the #NextGenATP star through Fecirc;te le Mur./p

p

ldquo;This association is helping young people who are living in an atmosphere that is not very good, so they are helping them a lot,rdquo; Van Assche said. ldquo;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.rdquo;/p

pimg src="/-/media/images/news/2024/08/14/16/48/vanassche-montecarlo-2024-kids.jpg?w=100%25amp;hash=B16B33A38F8403C373A1F33E7F4459F9" style="width:100%;" alt="a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/luca-van-assche/v0dz/overview'Luca Van Assche/a at the 2024 a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/monte-carlo/410/overview'Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters/a." /br/emsupa href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/luca-van-assche/v0dz/overview'Luca Van Assche/a at a Fête le Mur initiative in Monte-Carlo. Credit: Fête le Mur/sup/em/p

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Fecirc;te 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 a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/arthur-ashe/a063/overview'Arthur Ashe/a at a tennis clinic in Cameroon. /p

p

During a violent general strike in France in 1995, protesters were in the streets, discontent with the government's policies. The 1983 a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/roland-garros/520/overview'Roland Garros/a champion began to act at an important time. He partnered Severine Thieffry, events manager at IMG, to reach underprivileged neighbourhoods and offer them mdash; through the sport of tennis mdash; a path of education, integration and all around civic and sporting values./p

pCollaborations with professionals such as Van Assche and former WTA No. 12 Tatiana Golovin helps Fecirc;te 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./p

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ldquo;When I see them, it's little kids. I speak with them, they ask me some things,rdquo; Van Assche said. ldquo;Also with my brands, we receive a lot of gifts, so I can give it to them as a present. They are happy.rdquo;/p

blockquote class="twitter-tweet"

p lang="fr" dir="ltr"a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/luca-van-assche/v0dz/overview'Luca Van Assche/a, nouvel ambassadeur Fecirc;te le Mur ????br /

Vainqueur de Roland-Garros junior en 2021 et reacute;cemment de son 2egrave;me Challenger agrave; Pau, il rejoint la famille FLM ????br /

Il sera notamment le parrain de nos 2 eacute;quipes de jeunes compeacute;titeurs : la Team BNP Paribas Kids et la Team Avenir???? a href="https://t.co/scJKANbVP5"pic.twitter.com/scJKANbVP5/a/p

mdash; Fecirc;te le Mur (@FeteleMur) a href="https://twitter.com/FeteleMur/status/1636044503378272257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"March 15, 2023/a/blockquote

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