Tuesdays with Junior | Ep 02 | January 13, 2026

Persistence, Friends & Finding My Footing

Week two at the Mouratoglou Academy, and Junior is already identifying what needs to change. His coach has homed in on the same things good coaches always find first: the mental habits. Persistence under pressure. An aggressive game — not wild, but intentional. These are the traits that separate players who train well from players who compete well, and Junior is learning to close that gap in real time.

But it’s not all court work. One of the things that doesn’t make the highlight reel is the social integration — the experience of being a young Rwandan at an elite French academy surrounded by players from all over the world. This week, Junior carved out time to play informal matches with friends from African nations. It sounds small. It isn’t. The African tennis diaspora is a network, a support system, a reminder that you belong here.

Balancing the Books and the Baseline

After each training session, Junior shifts gears — back to schoolwork, back to the academic requirements that are part of the Love All Scholarship’s full-circle vision. The court and the classroom aren’t competing priorities. They’re the same priority, approached with the same discipline. That balance is still being built in week two. Follow along as it develops.

“I’m working on persistence and an aggressive game — and I’m enjoying every moment of it. — Junior Hakizumwami”