Les Petits As USA Playoffs Wilson 2024

Miami recently hosted America's top junior tennis players, all competing for a spot in January's Les Petits As Le Mondial Wilson in Tarbes, France. 

Florida Tennis magazine caught up with the key players driving this international event. 

1. We start with Tournament Director Thibault Ollivier, who flew from Paris to Miami for the event. He shared some background on the tournament.

The USA Playoffs.

According to Ollivier, Les Petits As USA Playoffs were launched in 2017 in Florida with a clear objective: to move away from selecting players based on wildcard requests and instead, provide opportunities for kids to qualify on-court. The goal was to develop the tournament in the US and give American players a taste of what Les Petits As (Le Mondial Wilson) is all about — not just for those who qualify to fly to Tarbes, France, but for every kid participating in the Playoffs.

It's been eight years since the kickoff of the the US Playoffs in Florida, and this is the second year at Tropical Park in Doral (run by Canas Racket) in Miami. 16 boys and 16 girls are competing for a chance to fly to France to play the prestigious tournament. Half of them have been selected by USTA, while the other half come from regional events through UTR tournaments organized across the country (Texas, California, Pennsylvania, New York, and more). This system allows every single kid in the country access the USA Playoffs, with no regulations on who can play or not. It's a democratic approach to create more access to the tournament.

Les Petits As is considered one of the most prestigious junior tournaments for players under 14, renowned for being the first stage where players showcase their potential to become legends like Rafael Nadal, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Roger Federer, Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters, Martina Hingis, and many more. On the US side, which has produced the most tournament winners, players like Francis Tiafoe, Coco Gauff (who reached the semifinals), Cici Bellis, and Michael Chang (the first American winner in the 80s) have excelled. Last year, Michael Anthonius claimed the title, continuing the tradition of strong American performances in the tournament.

The Playoffs are going global! 

After a successful launch in the US in 2017, the competition is now expanding to every continent. Asia joined in 2018, and Africa and Latin America will follow later this year. The ultimate goal is to have a playoffs on every continent, ensuring a representation of top talent from all over the world and providing a fair and equal opportunity for players to access Les Petits As in France.

Les Petits As Le Mondial Wilson

Les Petits As Le Mondial Wilson represents a milestone in the life of a junior tennis player. The tournament takes place in January, coinciding with the second week of the Australian Open. The main draw features the crème de la crème of global tennis, with 64 boys and 64 girls competing. Additionally, 48 boys and 48 girls will participate in the qualifying rounds for a spot in the main draw.

Before that, the French national qualification events will take place, where over 3,000 French players will battle it out for a coveted spot. In total, an impressive 4,000 players worldwide will participate in Les Petits As every year.

Les Petits As offers a first glimpse into the world of professional tennis

Les Petits As offers a first glimpse into the world of professional tennis, earning it the nickname 'Junior Grand Slam' from Patrick Mouratoglou. For many young players, it's their inaugural experience competing in a professional tournament. In Tarbes, France, they play in front of 3,000 spectators while facing the media and engaging in post-match interviews after matches. 

Les Petits As is often the catalyst that sparks a player's desire to turn pro. Just ask Bianca Andreescu, who credited the tournament as the moment she realized she wanted to become a professional tennis player after being crowned in Tarbes in 2014. 

The organizers strive to recreate this magic at every Playoffs event, mirroring the Tarbes experience in Florida. They bring in a team of French referees as every match is chair umpired and ITF rules are strictly applied, preparing players for the main event in France and future ITF tournaments. Additionally, a team of physios is on-hand to provide support before, during, and after matches, just like at any professional tournament.

The attention of the industry

The playoffs have captured the attention of the tennis industry, drawing the best players from across the country. The level of organization and competition has made it a premier event, attracting professionals from various sectors, including brands, agents, coaches, universities, and scouts. This tournament is a crucial platform to identify and scout emerging talents.

The importance of sponsors 

To put on a tournament of this caliber is only possible thanks to international sponsors including Wilson, AQR, Laki, and the local ones like MNO Tennis, UTR and Canas Racket, the hosting facility. 

2. The international team of umpires and physios fly in from France to officiate

Nicolas Peigne, Head of Umpires, shares his vision for the Playoffs: "We aim to replicate the Tarbes experience worldwide, giving young players their first taste of ITF tournaments." To achieve this, the event features chair umpires with international-level experience, who have officiated in France and abroad, including at Grand Slam events like Roland Garros.

The Playoffs adhere to Tennis Europe and ITF rules, enforcing strict guidelines on dress code, sponsor logos, service rules, match formats, and no coaching during matches. This prepares players for the rules they'll encounter in Tarbes and during future junior ITF tournaments.

The event offers organizers acceptance spots for international players, ensuring a diverse and competitive field. The match schedule is carefully planned, with set start times and adequate rest periods between matches to accommodate players competing in multiple matches per day.

Following the Playoffs USA, the team will head to France before traveling to Morocco for the inaugural Playoffs Africa. 

3. The French team also includes two physios 

The Playoffs USA prioritize player welfare by having two experienced physios on-site to provide medical support throughout the tournament. These physios have traveled the world with the tournament, from Asia to Africa, and are dedicated to keeping players in top shape. Their goal is to prevent injuries and teach players and parents how to prepare for each match and how to recover quickly and effectively.

Some junior players already know how the importance of physiotherapy but others are just learning its value through this tournament. As young athletes, they often focus on playing and forget about taking care of their bodies, which can lead to injuries. Physiotherapy is crucial for their overall health and injury prevention, especially since they are still growing while playing intense tennis.

The physios can even anticipate potential injuries based on a player's game style and the court surface, which helps them take proactive measures. Having these experienced physios on site shows that The Playoffs USA is committed to creating a professional, safe and supportive environment for all players.

4. The event also attract some agents, coaches, and brands scouting for their next potential ambassador.

Lynn Robinson, one of the scouts on site, comes from New Jersey, she has played tennis since she was 3. She went to NYU but then transitioned to the business side of tennis and ended up managing all sponsorship deals at Diadem, a tennis and pickleball brand, specialized in balls and strings. Diadem is based in Florida. She came to Tropical Park to scout new talent who might fit the brand for a sponsorship contract and was handing out free product to parents and kids. Other brands were present too.

5. Daniel, 12-year-old, is tennis player from Lakewood, California. 

It was Daniel's first time at the Playoffs. "This is a huge event for me," Daniel shared. "I faced the best 13-and-under players in the US, and I was thrilled to compete." His quarterfinal clash with friend Rex Kulman (a local for Boca Raton) pushed him to the limit – a four-hour marathon that he won!

To balance tennis and academics, Daniel transitioned to online homeschooling through ICL at the start of the school year. "It's flexible, fun, and provides a great education," he noted. With the flexibility of Zoom classes, Daniel can adapt his studies to his tennis schedule.

Following his hard-fought quarterfinal victory, Daniel missed his scheduled Zoom class, but wasn't worried. "I'll catch up later," he said with a smile. With the flexibility of online homeschooling, Daniel can easily make up for lost time, ensuring his tennis don't come at the expense of his education. Daniel will fly to France next January to play Les Petits Mondial Wilson in Tarbes.

6. The best players and their coach are attending the USA playoffs. We had the chance to discuss Les Petits As USA Playoffs with well-known coach Diego Moyano. 

Diego Moyano has built a reputation as a seasoned coach in tennis, having worked with a talented group of players. He's helped American ATP Tour pros like Tommy Paul, Reilly Opelka, and Frances Tiafoe. Moyano also coached WTA star Coco Gauff until April 2023.

He's lived in France for 16 years and know Les Petits As very well. “Great champions participated in the tournament over the years” he says. “The facilities are great in Miami and it's a great opportunity for American players to be able to compete against the best players in the world”.

The player he coaches, Rex Kulman, pre-qualified at the event through a win at a Boca Raton qualifying UTR tournament.

Moyano adds, “For a coach, it's very interesting to see the players in such a competitive environment with a lot of pressure and analyze how they react to it”.

We also interviewed Pooja Baja, the mother of Anya Arora.

Baja has two children. “My son was playing the Playoffs in 2019 and got a wild card at the last minute to participate in the tournament,” she says. "He played in the Junior US Open and went one year early to college. He plays college tennis but is also focused on his studies, double majors in economics and finance. After he graduates, he would really like to try to go pro. Her daughter Anya participated in the Playoffs — she wants to be pro even though she only discovered tennis one year ago. Anya worked really hard and is now in the top 20 in the US.” In addition, "She started training at USTA Carlson Campus. She's fully committed to her tennis and does not think about college? She wants to become a pro player."

7. Winning the ticket to Tarbes, France.

Friday, before the rain, the last matches took place. And the winners were awarded a plane ticket to France.

Therefore, we will see Daniel Gardality (California), Symantec Thuta (California), Anthony Kirchner (Pennsylvania)Tristan Acenzo (Texas), Emery Combs (South Carolina),Pandey Tanvi (California), Daniela Del Mastro ( Minnesota), Alilison Wang (California) compete next January 22-28, 2025 in France. Go Team USA!

===

Article and photos courtesy of Julie Schkoda, a sports marketing expert with 12 years of experience at Lacoste HQ (Paris) and Lacoste USA (NYC). Owner of 1999 Consulting LLC, based in Miami, specialized in sports marketing, sponsorship, activations and events.