A mathematics university student and avid reader, who cites a Nobel Prize-winning French author’s novella as his favourite, Luca van Assche is not your typical 19-year-old.
The book is Albert Camus’ 1942 philosophical classic, L’Etranger, perhaps not a surprising choice for such a multi-dimensional teenager, one of only three under-20s in the world’s top 100 tennis players.
DRAW: Australian Open 2024 men’s singles draw
While an education at Paris’ Dauphine University remains important to the Frenchman, his top priority now is his bid to reach an Australian Open third round for the first time.
“It’s not something very easy to do [studying], so I just try to find some time when I’m in Paris for training because when I just practise at home I have a little bit more time in the evenings,” he told ausopen.com.
“When I’m playing tournaments it’s quite difficult sometimes because you know you’re playing matches and everything, so the days are very long, but yeah, I’m studying a lot when I’m in Paris.
“I just always loved maths since I was in school. I just wanted to continue my studies after I finished my bac [baccalauréat], when you finish your [high school] education.”
On Monday, the equation was clear in theory though not as simple in practice for van Assche.
From two sets to one down against home favourite James Duckworth he needed the final two sets for his maiden Australian Open main draw victory.
The world No.79’s breakthrough was sealed 6-7(2) 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-3 after three hours and 32 minutes and booked a meeting with 25th seed Lorenzo Musetti.
“It was a big match for me, first match of five sets in my career and I won it, so I’m very happy,” he said. “It was a difficult match from the beginning to the end because he had the crowd for him.”
Van Assche first came to the tennis world’s attention two years ago when he prevailed in an all-French boys’ singles final at Roland-Garros against good friend Arthur Fils.
Junior success was no guarantee of success at tour level but what was even rarer was that now-world-No.34 Fils and van Assche so quickly became the top two-ranked teenagers in the world.
American 19-year-old Alex Michelson is the only other teenager in the top 100.
“I have a very good relationship with Arthur. I grew up a little bit with him,” van Assche said. “I know him I think since about nine years old, so of course it’s very good for us to play these tournaments, to have won a lot of matches, to be here in these Grand Slams.
“We were talking about this when we were younger and now we are here so we’re just enjoying the moment. He did an amazing year last year and had a good start to the year, so I’m really happy for him.
“It’s surprising we are only three teenagers now [in the top 100] and that two of them we are French. This is cool for French tennis, but I’m not surprised. We worked very hard the last two years, both of us, we’ve trained a lot together, so the work is paying off."