“Age doesn’t matter, I just go for the win”: Q&A with French prodigy Ksenia Efremova
Tennis Majors catches up with rising French teen Ksenia Efremova to chat about her success in 2023 and goals for the coming year
Ksenia Efremova, 2024 | © Mouratoglou Tennis Academy
France’s Ksenia Efremova became the youngest player to win an ITF tournament in the last 20 years, beating Selina Dal 7-6(5), 6-0 at the W15 in Monastir on December 31st. The 14-year old has now a track record of 9-1 on the pro tour, defeating two players ranked in the top 700 at the WTA.
Prior to her big breakthrough, Tennis Majors caught up with the 14-year-old at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, where she practices on daily basis, to discuss her future. Efremova will represent France for the first time in a Grand Slam tournament at the Australian Open, when she caught a wild-card.
Ksenia, can you sum up your 2023 season? Was it a good season?
Ksenia Efremova: Before Monastir, it was not that bad. The beginning of the season was not that good for me in terms of results (she was a semi-finalist at Les Petits As, the U14 world summit). But at the end of the season, it got better.
Now I am the Junior ITF rank No 96 and I’m happy that I won my last tournament of the season in Junior at the ITF Saint-Gregoire. In France especially, it’s very important. Now I’m French and I won in France. And I hope it’s going to get better next season.
I knew that I had a level but I found a way to show my game and my character at that tournament.
Ksenia Efremova
This "next season" started with this first 15K trophy on the pro Tour, in Monastir, at only 14. What does this first professional title represent for you?
Ksenia Efremova: I would say it was a very important title for me. It gave me a lot of confidence in my game because I beat some really good players and I’m really happy with my performance. I knew that I had a level but I found a way to show my game to show my character at that tournament.
I think it doesn’t matter about the age. I just go for the win in all the tournaments.
You showed your character by not losing a set in the entire week. How was the feeling?
Ksenia Efremova: I’m not focusing like if I lose the set or no, because all the matches was like really difficult for me, especially the first set. Score were tight, 7-5, 7-6, this kind of score and I found a way to manage that. I thought to myself, “they (my opponents) gonna stay with me this one hour. But after they’re gonna drop”. So I stayed with that tactic and it worked.
I thought to myself, “they (my opponents) gonna stay with me this one hour. But after they’re gonna drop”
Ksenia Efremova
Have you received any messages after your title?
Ksenia Efremova: So many messages. Thanks all and yes, one from Carolina Garcia. I also received from Patrick Mouratoglou and the Mouratoglou Academy.
After you stopped the U14 Tour, you’ve been competing on both the Junior Tour and the Pro ITF Tour in 2023. How would you like to see yourself on these circuits moving forward?
Ksenia Efremova: I think it is good to mix because it’s really good experience. Between Juniors and pros, there are real differences. At the pro level, there are some girls that have more experience than the juniors and it’s difficult to play them, but it’s a good challenge.
My priority now is to go far [at the smaller ITF tournaments], to get more points to go to the biggest tournaments.
How much do you want to play this year, and what’s your general feeling about your abilities now?
Ksenia Efremova: Now I feel more confident because I’m really happy that I found a way now to play really aggressive. I changed coaches. It was not easy of course. But [after more than one year with Kevin Boumiil], finally I’m back with Pierre [Debrosse] and with my Mom [Julia Efremova] as well.
It’s going pretty well because I found my aggressiveness again. Now I feel like I’m there. I just have to work and I think I’m going to have big results in 2024.
What’s hard about changing a coach in the middle of the year?
Ksenia Efremova: It’s difficult because the practices are changing. It’s much more intense, like four hours. I always give my best of course, but the intensity of the practice is different, compared to what I did before. It’s huge. So I think that this was the toughest change. It was like one month that I was struggling, but I found a way.
If we talk again in one year, in December 2024, where will you be happy to be?
Ksenia Efremova: Okay, so my goal is to be top 20, top 10 on the Junior Tour. I want to like say top 10 but just to be safe, I will say top 20 [The Junior Tour is open to players born in 2006 and after, Ksenia being from 2009]. In the WTA rankings, I would say I want to be 400 or even higher.
I will try to go step by step and we will see. I hope I will play good with the pros and juniors and the Grand Slam representing in France as well, Roland-Garros of course.
One of the key points this year is that you became French, tell us about that?
Ksenia Efremova: Yes, I was very happy when I knew that I will have a French passport. It was big for my family, for everyone. Now I can travel easily. I can represent France, I have been living here for years and I feel like home here. So, it really has been amazing. Also for my brothers, for my mom it’s big. We can travel, my brother will go to an American university next year.
Is Roland-Garros a key point of the coming season for you?
Ksenia Efremova: For me, all the junior Grand Slams will be the top priority. Of course, all the tournaments are priority, but these, you just go. I will play the Australian Open, so we will see how it goes and of course Roland-Garros. My coach told me how Roland-Garros is, and I remember that, because I was there like two, three years ago. So I feel it’s going to be an unbelievable atmosphere.
There are a lot of people who come to watch from Paris, and I think they’re going to support me like crazy because I saw some videos of how they support French players. I’m really ready for it, I really like this. I felt the support from [the French public] already. The kids, the adults, they were supportive.
In January 2024, you will fly to Australia to play the Australian Open Juniors, your first Grand Slam. Does that mean something special? Are you living the dream now?
Ksenia Efremova: Yes, it’s a new step to go to the higher level. Junior top 50 is not a joke for me, I think. It’s going to be a really big step and I’m actually ready for it. I really believe I can do something in the Australian Open. I really want to reach the finals there. I know I’m not the favorite, the top five seeds are favorites. But I think I can do really good there with my tennis now.
