With the 2024 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters now in full swing, the weekend provided the perfect moment for French tennis star Henri Leconte to come to Monaco for a book signing event, organized by Metropole Shopping Monte-Carlo, featuring his latest work, Balles Neuves.
On 6th April at Fnac, which is found on the ground floor of the Metropole Shopping Monte-Carlo mall, Henri Leconte met with delighted fans and signed copies of his new book, all while discussing the challenges of modern tennis and sharing his opinions on today’s top players.
Leconte, who has nine singles titles to his name, as well as a 1991 Davis Cup win and a 1988 French Open title, no longer plays professional tennis, but he has established himself as a popular commentator in the Francophone tennis world as well as a published author.
Balles Neuves, his new book, is an exploration of tennis as a continuous journey.
“It’s about prioritising your time effectively, adapting to the changes and building a character. Tennis is a significant responsibility and is evidence of one’s work ethic,” he said.
“This is the best tournament”
The book signing coincided with the first day of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, and Leconte thrilled his fans with stories of his own tennis experiences in Monaco, such as his triumphant match against Bjorn Borg, his idol, at the Monte-Carlo Open tournament in 1982.
“Every time the Rolex Masters starts, it’s an emotional time for me. This is the best tournament.” he said.
Leconte also shared his prediction for 2024 tournament, saying, “Jannik Sinner will probably reach the finals. There’s an anticipation of many surprises, and Dimitrov is also in excellent form.”
See more: Interview: ATP Top 10 tennis pro Grigor Dimitrov
Broached by fans on his views on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, he said, “It’s clear to me. Roger is like James Bond—suave, sophisticated. Rafael, on the other hand, is the Terminator—unstoppable and relentless.”
At the book signing event, lucky fans had the opportunity to win four tickets to the upcoming Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters tournament, including a pair to the final, courtesy of Metropole Shopping Monte-Carlo.
Join the Monaco Life community – sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter, and follow us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.
Photo by Monaco Life