Balere: Wasseros Journey from Aspiring Pro to College Player

**Benjamin Ballere**, the coach of **Valentin Vacherot** from Monaco, shared his thoughts on the development of the tennis player. In the decisive match of the Masters in Shanghai (China), Vacherot triumphed over French player **Arthur Rinderknech** with a score of 4:6, 6:3, 6:3.

«When he turned 18, we faced some important decisions. He aspired to be a professional tennis player, but he lacked the necessary mental and physical maturity. Valentin was quite slender and not very physically developed. We discussed this within the family and suggested he consider attending university in the United States. This would provide him with the opportunity to study tennis, train, and work with an excellent coach like Steve Denton. Valentin took our advice, even though he understood it would take him several years to grow and potentially break into the top 100 or top 50. That was my impression.

I always thought about this: when he returns from university, if he still wants to pursue a professional career, I want to support him because he is like my brother. And to me, that’s what matters. Whether or not you have talent, if you truly dedicate yourself and desire it wholeheartedly, you must go all the way. It doesn’t matter if you’re ranked 200th or in the top 50; if you strive for success, you’ll do everything you can to reach your full potential. You never know what might happen. If you reach 200th place, you can climb up to 150th. If you hit 150th, you might find yourself in the top 100. Just always set goals for yourself,” Ballere’s comments were reported by Punto de Break.