Stéphanie Loeuillette

Interview:

How is your life as a professional player organized?

It is organized around the Saint-Pierre-lès-Elbeuf club, where I train twice a day. My husband, Yann Loiseau, trains me; he is also the coach for the women's Pro A team. Alongside that, I also have physical preparation and mental preparation.

What type of player are you?

In terms of character, I would say I am someone who is very determined and very perfectionistic—probably too much so. As a player, I am truly an attacker who seeks to play very powerful shots by relying on my physical strength, especially playing very hard with my forehand. There aren't necessarily many long rallies in my game; I try to be aggressive right away and take control of the game quickly.

Your advice for succeeding in ping?

For me, if you want to reach a high level, the most important thing is really to have goals. I find that without a goal and strong motivation, it's difficult to train every day. You have to make "sacrifices"—I don't personally call them sacrifices, but it’s still not the same life as someone who can go out on weekends or see friends whenever they want. So, to be ready for that, I think you need great motivation, clear objectives, and to know exactly why you are training daily.

What are your passions outside of ping?

It's true that things are much busier with life as a mom, which dictates what we do outside of the sport. It's really about spending a lot of time with my daughter and enjoying things differently. Because I am away so much for competitions, there are times when I see my family less and I'm less available. So, it's really about spending time with my daughter, my parents, and my friends. Otherwise, I love all sports in general. Even if there are some sports we avoid or cut back on to avoid risks, I am quite sporty at heart.

One word to describe yourself?

I would say determination! Never giving up, so yes, determination.