Interview with coach Martin Laurendeau | “Gabriel trains and lives for great moments”

Martin Laurendeau has been working with Gabriel Diallo for three years. At the start of their association, he identified the immense potential of the great Quebecer of 6 pi 8 in. last week, at the Masters 1000 in Madrid, Diallo played the best tennis of his career. Like what the diamond, by dint of being polite, shines more and more.

Posted yesterday at 7:45 p.m.

Diallo was preparing to bend baggage and leaving the Spanish capital after his defeat in the second qualifying match against Borna ćorić. However, the 78^e world player was able to integrate the main draw as a drafted player (lucky loser) thanks to the abandonment of some players in the prelude to the tournament. He did not know it yet, but Diallo was going to live the most decisive week of his young career.

“He was very motivated before arriving here. In the main draw, he really freed himself. It often happens for [joueurs repêchés]. They have nothing to lose, it’s just bonus, ”explains Laurendeau from her hotel room in Madrid.

In the first round, Diallo only made a bite of Zizou Bergs, 50^e global racket. “Against Bergs, who is a big hitter himself, winning a match in 54 minutes is quite impressive. »»

In the next round, the Quebecer should have faced Carlos Alcaraz, third in the world and best player on the planet on clay. However, the Spaniard forfeit due to a thigh injury. “Gabriel was disappointed. I found it a little comical, admitted Laurendeau. Playing Alcaraz, Spain, on clay, on the central… Gabriel trains and lives for great moments. He doesn’t live to play on the short 18. He likes to play against the best. He wants to compare himself to the best. »»

Instead, he beat Kamil Majchrzak in three rounds to sneak in the third round. Where he also defeated Cameron Norrie, former top 10 world.

Then, in the round of 16, he had an appointment with Grigor Dimitrov. And Diallo played the match that could become the turn of his season. “His best match since we are together,” says Laurendeau. Even if he lost the first round and he faced three match balls, Diallo ended up overthrowing the 16th^e World player.

“For Gabriel, for having played like that, under these conditions, against a Dimitrov who could not play better than that, it was high level. Dimitrov had only one bad game. It was Gab’s best game in the service. And his best match in general. »»

Diallo has finally lowered pavilion in quarter-finals in front of Lorenzo Musetti,^e seeded and specialist on clay.

And Laurendeau, at the other end of the phone, made himself laugh by trying to put things in perspective. “A year ago, on this date, we were in a challenger in Mauthausen, Austria, and it was really not the same level!” »»

Play well on earth

Before Madrid, Diallo had won 11 of his 22 career games on clay. Unlike his Italian or Argentinian counterparts, the Quebecer did not spend his childhood slipping on the red sand. His style of play has nothing to do with that of the great clay champions. He strikes hard, he knocks the ball early in the rebound and he used to move forward in the ball to reduce the discussions with four shots.

Among all the tournaments disputed on clay, the Masters of Madrid offered Diallo the best chances of being able to pull out of the game. “If it is a little sun, the bottom of the surface becomes very hard and the rebound is very high. So when he does his brushed service, it hinders opponents a lot. The rubber ball reacts better when it is hot. »»

This slow surface can nevertheless become a nightmare for players who are, and will remain, more comfortable on cement, like Diallo. In addition, the Quebecer had to negotiate with a ton of imponderables. He was eliminated during the qualifications, but he was inserted into the main draw. He had to face Alcaraz, but it didn’t take place. He had planned to train, but the site was the victim of a general power failure. He lost the first round against Norrie and Dimitrov, but he won.

“Gabriel is very tenacious,” notes Laurendeau. Mentally, for a young player who has a lot to learn, it is one of his strength. »»

On this subject, Diallo’s coach stresses that this beautiful Madrid epic has nothing to do with luck. “He has a huge thirst for learning. He always seeks to improve. Even on the days he does not play, he wants to go to work in the field. There is not once when I had to convince him to go and play tennis. On the contrary, it must almost be braked a little. »»

The climb

Thanks to this dream week, Diallo points to 54^e level of the world ranking.

Establishing a personal summit and progressing in this way does not change the world, except that … “It puts it in a position where it can really choose its tournaments better. Many fewer decisions of the last second. There is an unpredictable aspect for players between the 80^e and the 150^e position. It makes the life of a professional athlete much more predictable. It’s reassuring. »»

As Diallo spent a good part of the summer of 2024 playing in Challenger tournaments, he will be able to accumulate a lot of points in the coming weeks. He has everything to win. Invariably, this push in Madrid will generate expectations. Diallo knows what he is capable of. Laurendeau’s job, in this context, consists in reminding his young player that nothing presses, because he has talent and time on his side.

“He is still very young, very green. He still lives a lot of first. He is not yet a veteran. I consider that the best years of male tennis are between 25 and 35 years old. So within two years, he is at school. We learn, we work and we develop. »»