Luca Van Assche reached his first ATP Masters 1000 semifinal at the Rolex Paris Masters after a grueling 2-44 battle against Rinky Hijikata, vietnam.vn reported.
The 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 victory came after Hijikata eliminated Novak Djokovic, while Van Assche previously defeated Lorenzo Musetti, according to vietnam.vn. Ben Shelton subsequently stopped the French player in the semifinals, but the tournament marked a career breakthrough for the 2004-born competitor.
Paris Masters Breakthrough
The run made Van Assche the second-youngest Frenchman to reach the Paris Masters semifinals in 19 years, following Richard Gasquet in 2007, as reported by vietnam.vn. The result pushed his ranking inside the top 30, securing a rise to at least world number 34.
Born in Belgium and raised in France, Van Assche started playing tennis at age four and moved away from home at 12 to join the national training program in Poitiers. He won the French Open junior boys’ singles title in 2021 by defeating Arthur Fils, then cracked the ATP top 100 in 2023 at age 18.
Beyond the court, Van Assche studies mathematics and computer science applied to decision-making and organization (MIDO) in his second year at Université Paris-Dauphine PSL, vietnam.vn reported. The curriculum includes linear algebra, probability, mathematical analysis, and computer science.
Luca Van Assche saved France's Paris Masters hopes on Friday night, rallying past qualifier Rinky Hijikata 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-5 to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final. On-court reporting from Tennis Majors and the ATP Tour confirmed the 22-year-old trailed 0-2 in the decider… pic.twitter.com/mbEbeBtb7K
The player carries textbooks to international tournaments and utilizes the Dauphine Talent Program, which offers online learning and flexible exam schedules for elite athletes. Stéphane Boutillier, the university’s high-performance sports officer, told vietnam.vn about a time Van Assche took an exam at the national training center from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. before taking a taxi to catch a 10:30 a.m. train to Wimbledon.
Even if I win 50 Grand Slams, I won’t play tennis until I’m 60 years old,
Van Assche said in 2024, as cited by vietnam.vn.
Climbing Back After Slumping
The academic pursuit provides intellectual balance and distance from professional sporting pressure, according to Boutillier. However, coach Sébastien Villette noted that players can sometimes overthink matches or search for solutions to nonexistent problems.
After reaching the Australian Open third round in 2024 by beating Musetti, Van Assche suffered a performance dip in 2025 that dropped him outside the top 300 and forced him back to the Challenger circuit. He secured his first ATP Tour title at the Estoril Open in July 2026 after winning multiple Challenger events, rebuilding his ranking from 238 at the end of 2025.
Questions About Luca Van Assche's Studies and Tennis Career
What did Luca Van Assche study at university?
He is enrolled in the MIDO bachelor’s program focusing on applied mathematics and computer science at Université Paris-Dauphine PSL, according to vietnam.vn.
How did Van Assche perform at the 2026 Paris Masters?
He defeated Rinky Hijikata 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 in the quarterfinals before losing to Ben Shelton in the semifinals, vietnam.vn reported.
What was Van Assche’s previous major junior achievement?
He won the 2021 French Open junior boys’ singles title by defeating Arthur Fils, as reported by vietnam.vn.
Earlier coverage: Van Assche Stuns Hijikata to Reach Paris Masters Final Four
- How to Stop Snoring: Simple Lifestyle Changes and the Tennis Ball Trick
- Nadal Discusses Federer Exhibition in Las Vegas
- Voyager 1 Reaches a Light-Day Nov. 18; Its Two-Day Silence Is Unexplained (daybreakwire.com)
- Corinthians Loses 1-0 to Red Bull Bragantino in Paulista U-20 Semifinal First Leg (archyde.com)
