Luca Van Assche, a young lightspeed talent in tennis, cut his path through the courts with an ease that belies his age. Born in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgium, then whisked away to Aix-en-Provence, France, his upbringing meandered through various French cities—each a fleeting backdrop to the relentless pursuit of his passion. From his early days on the courts to lifting his first trophy, he was always chasing something greater, even if that was just a slice of pizza after a long training session.

His junior years shone brightly, crowned with a French Open title that swung the door wide open to pro tennis. By October 2023, he’d secure a career-high ATP ranking of 63, a dizzying ascent that some might say is already destined for greatness. Yet, complexities linger; among fellow competitors, who is truly his closest ally? There’s Arthur Fils, his childhood friend, but personal bonds in such a competitive space can sometimes feel like a tightrope walk—love and rivalry, often intertwined.

Indeed, it seems that every crack in the surface of his young career reveals deeper layers—he harbors dreams beyond the court, eyeing mathematics at university and pondering a life as an engineer post-tennis. This notion leaves some wondering if he weighs his identity as heavily as he does his serve.

While championships flashed brightly on his horizon, the quieter moments, spent wrestling with numbers or cheering for PSG, remind us of the boy beyond the athlete. Luca, at once an emerging professional and a student of life, treads the fine line between the fervor of youth and the wisdom that sometimes only comes with hesitation to choose between the two.