From the height of her 15 years, the young Saint-Martinoise, Amélie Thiant already has everything to become a great champion in her favorite discipline: Beach Tennis. Portrait of a player who has only one goal in mind: to become the best player in the world!
Faxinfo: " Can you introduce yourself " ?
Amelie Thiant: “I am 15 years old and I arrived at the age of 3 months in Saint-Martin. I have always lived in the West Indies and I love my island. I started practicing Beach Tennis around the age of 7 with my father. I also practiced tennis for several years but I am not classified. Very sporty, I like water sports such as Wakeboarding, Kite Surfing and Surfing, but Beach Tennis being my first passion, I now devote myself totally to it.
Otherwise, I'm 2 years ahead in my schooling and I'm in 1st class – Option Maths / SES / Physics. I am described as a rather studious and determined young girl”.
FI: “What are your sporting goals?
AT: “I want to practice Beach Tennis at the highest level. I gave everything last year to be French champion in my Junior U14 category and I succeeded. I qualified for the French team to participate in the European Championship in Crete and I won the bronze medal in the mixed tournament. I am 15 years old and have a great and long career in Beach Tennis ahead of me. Today I am the highest ranked French under 18. I started international competitions this year and took part in one of the biggest tournaments in the world in Réunion (the Open des Brisants, editor's note). I was thus able to accomplish one of my main objectives which was to win the ITF Junior tournament. Thanks to this victory, I was able to gain notoriety and make myself known internationally to then find the best partners.
In the short term, at the national level, my objectives are to win the French Championships in U18, to keep my place as number 1 French junior FFT, to enter the Top 10 senior FFT internationally.
My goal is to become the best French junior player, and to join the very select club of the 15 best French players internationally, all categories combined.
In the medium term, I want to win the European Championships and the World Cup in Junior and within 5 years become world number 1”.
Faxinfo: “How do you plan to get there”?
AT: “You simply have to play many senior tournaments in France and abroad to earn as many points as possible and move up the rankings.
Since 2021, I have participated in all inter-island tournaments (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-Barthélemy) as well as all tournaments organized in Metropolitan France during school holidays.
As for the 2023 season, I will take part in 11 tournaments in Metropolitan France, including the Summer Beach Tour (BT 2000) as well as ITF and BT 1000 tournaments. I will begin a real Beach Tennis tour of France bringing together the best players in France but also in the Caribbean and Reunion! »
FI: “To whom do you owe your success in Beach Tennis”?
AT: “I immediately think of my Beach tennis club in Saint-Martin (the Friendly Caribbean Beach Tennis, editor's note) which has implemented in recent years a real policy of support for young people to supervise them and help them progress.
I'm holding to also thank my family who accompanies me on a daily basis in my passion, especially my dad who introduced me to Beach Tennis. I thank them for supporting me in this way so that I can realize my dreams of playing at the highest level in France and internationally”. _AF
Amélie Thiant in a nutshell:
Guadeloupe Champion 2021 - U16
French Beach Tennis Champion 2022 - U14 Guadeloupe Champion 2022 - U14
International U16 ranking: 10rd world player under 16 (1st French)
Senior FFT ranking April 2023: 12rd French player
Member of the France 202 team2, selection at European championship in Crete 2022 : U14 girls tournaments (4rd) and U14 mixed tournament (bronze medalist)
Winner of the Open des Brisants U18 in Reunion
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