When she was just two years old, Carole Monnet was moved from Ukraine to France after being adopted by French parents. With the conditions in Ukraine far from normal, the tennis player is grateful to her adoptive parents for providing her with a home and also changing her life altogether.
The rising French star, who has been in top form for defending champions Hyderabad Strikers, winning all her Women’s Singles Round ties so far in Season 7 of the Tennis Premier League, was emotionally moved when she spoke about her journey from Ukraine to France. She also said was her responsibility to inspire children around the world.
The 24-year-old has already competed in big tournaments across the globe and recently even made it to the main draw of her home Grand Slam by qualifying for Roland Garros 2025.
Her gratitude to her adoptive parents knows no bounds. “They changed my entire life. With everything happening in Ukraine today, I don’t know what my story would have been if I had stayed there. I am very lucky because my parents made my dreams possible, and now I can travel the world and play tennis. I want little boys and little girls to know that if you are lucky, you have to take it and work hard every day. If you don’t give up and you keep fighting, you can make it,” she said.
Carole began training as an athlete but soon found her calling and purpose in tennis. How did it happen? Speaking about her early life, she said, “I started tennis at eight. Before that I did athletics, but one day I saw Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros on TV and got inspired. I loved tennis immediately because it has everything – fitness, tactics and both physical and mental skill.”
Currently ranked 166th in the world, Carole Monnet has brought her ‘A’ game to the TPL, winning all her women’s singles rounds, with comfortable scorelines of 18-7, 14-11 and 16-9 respectively. Carole has proved quite a handful to her opponents on the court and in the process has helped Hyderabad Strikers gain a comfortable position early on in their matches. This early bust of energy has served the team well.
What is it that is helping her do so well in the tournament? Is it the conditions or the format? Carole minced no words in stating that she has taken up the format just like a fish takes to water. She said, “The format actually fits my game perfectly. I like to play a few strong shots, focus on my first serve, come to the net and put pressure during short rallies, so I didn’t need to adapt too much.”
She also praised the conditions in the city of Ahmedabad. The French player said, “I really love the surface, the colours, the lights, the stadium and the crowd. Indian people are very nice and welcoming. Everything here feels like a real show. The sports complex has great facilities, even clay courts, and if young players here keep practicing, working hard and travelling, I am sure many professionals will come from here.”
Life on the circuit for tennis players is a lonely journey without many friends. Hence, Carole also spoke warmly about her team environment. “I love the team atmosphere here at the Hyderabad Strikers. On the circuit you are alone and always in your bubble, but here it feels like a family. If I need something, they help me and I want to help them too. It’s much more open and supportive than being alone on tour,” she concluded on a positive note.
