Behind the players in the world's top 100, there is another reality of professional tennis. Constant travel, a precarious financial balance, the need to progress quickly to continue believing in the highest level: Karine Marion Job knows this life on the ITF circuit all too well.

Present in Cameroon for an unusual event organized around the record attempt of Cameroonian Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji, the Franco-Cameroonian player spoke candidly about her daily life, her ambitions, the evolution of modern women's tennis and her desire to evolve her game to take it to the next level.

"Phenomenal, that's the word."

 Question:  Karine, how would you describe this event in Cameroon?

 Karine Marion Job:  I would use the word  phenomenal This is unprecedented. The minister is someone who is passionate about tennis, as we have seen, but it is still impressive to see him in this context, facing legends of the sport, making incredible points, without drinking and without sitting down.

Physically, it's very impressive and very pleasant to see.

"For girls, the two-handed backhand is more natural."

 Question:  During this event, we saw many men with a one-handed or sliced ​​backhand, while among the women, the two-handed backhand was dominant. How do you explain this?

 Karine Marion Job:  The one-handed backhand requires a lot of strength in just one arm. Women generally have less muscle power, so it's easier to play with two hands.

And back then, when you look at the older players, the one-handed backhand was much more common. Today, there are still a few, but fewer and fewer.

 Question:  Do you regret this loss of variety, particularly in women's tennis?

 Karine Marion Job:  It's true that modern tennis, especially in women's tennis, often features the same style of play, the same techniques. When a player has a more atypical game, like  Ashleigh Barty  With its very effective chop, it's a big problem.

Girls are more used to the pace, the rhythm, the low, driven shots. So any player who has other weapons is definitely an advantage.

"I'm working on my chop and drop shots."

 Question:  Are you specifically trying to develop those kinds of skills in training?

 Karine Marion Job:  Yes. What I'm working on most is the  chop Before, it was a disaster, I couldn't touch anything at all. Now, it's better.

I know that sometimes, to slow down the game or change the rhythm, I can use the chop. I'm much more comfortable with it now.

I still need to work more on my drop shots. It's better than it was a few years ago, but I still need to improve.

After that, I also continue to work on my strengths: low, driven shots, power, and ball speed. That's what I like to do; it's my style of play.

Karine Marion Job: "I don't consider myself a galley slave, I'm just going through the motions."

"A galley slave? I wouldn't say that."

 Question:  Players ranked beyond 300th or 400th in the world are sometimes referred to as the "slaves" of the circuit. You, on the other hand, are close to 999th in the world, ranked -15. Do you identify with that term?

 Karine Marion Job:  I wouldn't say  galley slave No. I'm in the process.

Each player has a different pace, a different path. It's true that the top 100 players are highly revered. Financially, it's much easier for them.

Once you drop out of the top 100, it becomes much more difficult financially. Finding sponsors is also complicated.

So I understand why the term "galley slave" is used, but I find it a bit pejorative. Because we are still lucky enough to live an incredible life and make a living from our passion, even if it's not always easy.

 Question:  Is tennis your profession today?

 Karine Marion Job:  Yes, that's my job. That's all I do.

"I set a limit for myself."

 Question:  Do you ever find yourself thinking that it's too hard financially or mentally, with this obligation to start from scratch every week?

 Karine Marion Job:  Naturally, I set myself a time limit.

I know that today I still have a chance to climb the rankings. When I go to tournaments, I see that there's a possibility of going further, of reaching the  top 100 That's my goal.

But if I see that my ranking is not increasing and I remain around 500, 900 or more for several years, I will definitely stop.

Karine Marion Job: "I don't consider myself a galley slave, I'm just going through the motions."

"If I haven't achieved my goals in two or three years..."

 Question:  How much time are you giving yourself?

 Karine Marion Job:  I think that in two or three years, if I haven't achieved my goals, it will inevitably be a blow to my morale.

And when motivation drops, training doesn't go as well. This is also noticeable in matches.

For me, it's important to set a limit. If I have to stop, I want to do it knowing that I've given it my all.

 Question:  Have you ever thought about what will happen after tennis?

 Karine Marion Job:  Not really. I don't know what I'll do yet.

It could stay in tennis, but I don't have a specific idea yet. For now, I'm staying focused on my current goals.

Padel? "See you in two days maybe."

 Question:  We see many former tennis players succeeding in padel, such as  Jessica Ginier  ou  Alix Collombon Could this be an option for you?

 Karine Marion Job:  I'm open to all options. But honestly, when I tried the  paddle  For fun, it didn't really appeal to me.

I would tend to say that I won't go in that direction, but I'm keeping an open mind. Maybe in two years, I'll have a different perspective on padel.

Life is change. So I can't say it's a categorical no.

"I travel 90% of the time with my coach."

 Question:  On the tour, are you travelling alone or with someone?

 Karine Marion Job:  I travel 90% of the time with my coach.  Cédric Bourguignon , with whom I train in Lyon.

It's a privilege to be able to travel with someone. Some players are alone on the tour. I've done it before, and it's much more difficult mentally.

 Question:  Is it too hard to be alone on the circuit?

 Karine Marion Job:  Not necessarily for everyone. Some players manage very well on their own.

I know that having someone with me helps me enormously. I can play one or two tournaments alone during the season, but in the long run, it's too complicated. I need support off the court.

Karine Marion Job: "I don't consider myself a galley slave, I'm just going through the motions."
Karine Marion Job: "I don't consider myself a galley slave, I'm just going through the motions."

"I am exclusively on the ITF circuit."

 Question:  Today, you could play in many French tournaments with your ranking, but you chose the international route…

 Karine Marion Job:  Yes, exactly. I only play in tournaments.  ITF I am exclusively on the international circuit.

This means that I focus on international tournaments, even if my French ranking may sometimes be below my actual level.

 Question:  When you're still struggling to get past a hurdle, is it sometimes necessary to change your approach, try something else?

 Karine Marion Job:  Yes, it's something I realized this year, especially with my coach. As a player, you don't always see everything. An outside perspective can help.

My game was fairly ordinary, quite similar to what you see in many other players. However, I have some strengths. My ball speed can be very important.

I've changed my perspective on my game.

"Moving forward is what suits me best."

 Question:  What do you want to change?

 Karine Marion Job:  I think moving forward is what suits me best.

Instead of staying at the back of the court, hitting and exhausting myself, I want to hit and come to finish at the net.

It's something I'm going to do more and more.

 Question:  Is this a real area of ​​focus?

 Karine Marion Job:  Yes. I work on it in training. I can do it without pressure. In matches, I'm starting to do it more and more, even if it's not automatic yet.

The more matches I play, the more comfortable I'll be doing it.

The goal is clearly to move forward more and become a more effective player at the net.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

On the same subject

Tags