His success, the one who was nicknamed Shark (Editor’s note: the shark); obviously owes it to his talent and his work but also to the support received from those close to him. Among these, there is Céline, his junior by two years, who has had a front-row seat to the evolution of her big brother. Always with a knowing eye and a caring approach.
We didn’t hear from him for several days.”
“We were immersed in the world of tennis throughout our childhoodremembers Steve Darcis’ sister. My memories are of the many car trips with Steve to his practices and matches. Steve and tennis are a great passion. In his room, I remember a poster of André Agassi. He also really liked football. He also played at Standard but, at one point, he had to make a choice. Tennis logically imposed itself; he had the little yellow bullet in his blood. For my part, I dabbled in a bit of everything but without really sticking to anything. I tried tennis too but it didn’t work. So, we ran a lot, especially mom, left and right every day after school for her practices, for her matches, etc. We had a family organization to ensure that everything went well.”
With an older brother who left the family home at a very young age to devote himself full time to making his dream come true.
“We quickly noticed Steve’s high potential for tennis. Moreover, as he was a year ahead of school, he joined the AFT boarding school training center in Mons at the age of eleven. It was a complicated choice for my parents to let their son go away for a week at such a young age. They did it to give him a chance to realize his dream. As a reminder, at the time, there was no mobile phone. So, no daily contact, no photos, no news for several days, if I remember correctly, Steve called once a week. I think it wasn’t easy for mom and for me too because I didn’t see my brother for several days.“
Steve fought, really hard, to live his dream.”
But it was the price to pay so that little Steve could one day set foot on the biggest courts on the planet: “Tennis has always, not haunted him, but it has always been in his head, it has always been his life goal. The fact that he was asked to go to Mons reinforced his idea that he could succeed. So he fought really hard to live his dream.”
I was going to sleep in his room so we could talk.”
This long-distance relationship between brother and sister was not always easy for little Céline: “We have always been very united. When we were little, we played together all the time. When he left, it strengthened our relationship. For my part, there was a lack. For Steve, you’ll have to ask him. When he came home on weekends, I would sleep in his room so we could talk and see each other. Him physically moving away from home has never had a negative impact on our relationship. When mobile phones appeared, we wrote to each other almost every day. Our relationship is strong. Even now.”
“Steve is afraid of disappointing”
Over the years, the youngest of the Darcis has also taken on another hat: “I’m a bit of his confidante. We always promised each other to tell each other everything. Whether positive or negative. I think it may have helped him during his career.”
And, on Steve’s side, too, there is a strong attachment to his sister, as she confirms: “I gave birth to my first child when he was returning from the United States after winning the Memphis tournament. Once he left the airport, he came directly to the hospital outside visiting hours. He was one of the first to see my baby. He showed up without warning; I think I still had blood from the birth on my pajamas. He was my first child. Steve is also the godfather, just like the second. And if I had a third, it would still be him.”
After I gave birth, he showed up without warning, he was coming back from the USA.”
Those who have closely followed the career of the native of Liège know the emotional roller coaster experienced by the person concerned: “In 2013, for example, he beat Nadal at Wimbledon, a wonderful memory; then, he had to give up the second round due to injuryexplains Céline. It was difficult for him to digest because he is someone who is very in contact with the public, in emotion. He doesn’t like to disappoint. My brother experienced many physical problems. Compared to these situations, what makes me proud is that he always fought to come back, he never gave up. He did it for himself but also and above all for the family, for the people who gave him time and trust. I repeat myself but Steve is very emotional, in sharing. He always fought to get back to the top but not only for himself, but a lot for others too. He would have been afraid of disappointing. After each defeat in the Davis Cup, for example, it was really hard emotionally for him.”
His retirement? He had given and suffered enough.”
On the other hand, when ending his playing career in 2020 after fifteen years on the circuit, Steve Darcis seemed at peace with himself.
“I think it was the finish line and that other priorities were opening up for him. It was time to close this chapter of his life. He had given enough to tennis, as a player. Given enough and suffered enough. The role of coach that he took on was obvious. His path had been mapped out for a long time. I suspected that once his pro career was over, he was going to stay in the tennis world anyway because he loves it, because he is talented for that and I think it was his wish too and becoming captain of the Davis Cup team is really, I think, the realization of a career. I don’t see it anywhere other than in the world of tennis.
“An iron fist in a velvet glove”
With an exemplary mentality that he managed to instill in his players in the national team: “Honestly, I think he’s talented in everything he touches. I have always been impressed by his abilities. When he embarks on a project, he does it thoroughly. It’s an iron fist in a velvet glove. I think he is a coach who knows how to speak correctly to his players, who must find the right words thanks to his experience. He has been immersed in tennis since he was very young. He has an ability to be respected but in a good way. The good results of the Belgian team in the Davis Cup have nothing to do with it. He managed to transmit his mentality to the players. There is something special between Steve and the players.”
Even though he is no longer here, Julien Hoferlin is still in Steve’s mind.”
His way of working comes from what he learned from some of his former mentors: “There is Julien Hoferlin, obviously. He is a person who matters and who will always matter to Steve, even if unfortunately he is no longer here. Their relationship was extremely strong. There is also Yannis Demeroutis who counted a lot. In fact, I have the impression that all the people who were around him remained important to him. Steve knows how to thank those who were there for him. I’m not saying this because he’s my brother, but Steve is an exceptional man, open-minded, with whom we can talk, who is always present, on whom I can count. He’s someone who expresses his feelings, at least with me. Our relationship is very strong, indescribable in fact.”
And, every year, in January, Céline remembers certain memories: “When he went to Australia for the Australian Open, it was often just after Christmas. We had the chance to spend this celebration almost every year together just before he left. But it’s true that on New Year’s Eve, he was absent. And if he had to leave Belgium a little earlier, we always organized the party around his departure. We knew it was a special event, even more so because he was leaving the next day or the day after for a few weeks. We took advantage doubling of its presence.”
With all the love and support a family could give to the band’s great traveler.
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