Lucas Didier

Interview:

Your beginnings in para table tennis?

Originally, I didn't know it at all. I was competing against able-bodied players and had never heard of it. Then one day, a coach from the French national team approached me during a competition because he had noticed my disability, and he was the one who brought me into that world.

What class do you compete in?

Well, I am currently in disability class 9, and I am currently ranked world number 7 in class 9.

How would you describe your game?

I'm not a particularly offensive player. I have a somewhat atypical game; I have long pimples on my backhand. It's a rubber that reverses spin when playing defense far from the table. But I play at the table with it. I really have a game based on countering and defending.

Your advice for performing in ping?

I'll speak for my own case: it's above all about pleasure. For me, they are truly inseparable. If I didn't enjoy being at the table, I wouldn't perform well. So it's really about pleasure, loving what you do, being in the fight, and above all doing it while having fun.

What qualities are needed to succeed in ping?

The mental aspect is very important because we often play long, very tight matches. So you have to try to stay as focused as possible over a rather long period. Matches can last 30 or even 40 minutes. And it's also truly a sport of reflexes and reactions, with fast balls where you have to adapt quickly to the opponent.

What are your passions outside of ping?

I love gardening. I love cooking too. I know it's unlikely! Planting tomatoes, chilies, peppers... I also make pizzas quite often!

One word to describe yourself?

I would say the same one, actually: pleasure! It's really the foundation; I can't do a sport without pleasure. If I'm not enjoying it, it's impossible—I put down the racket, leave for weeks, and come back later. Having fun is truly essential, and enjoying it too! Enjoying the chance we have to do what we do.