Claudine Schaul: « Anne Kremer was my role model from an early age »

Claudine Schaul is the new captain of the tennis women. The National Association FLT announced this at a press conference on Friday. « Claudine was clearly our first choice, » says association president Claude Lamberty. « She was already a co-captain. That was the next logical step. »

Schaul takes over the office of her long -time girlfriend Anne Kremer. This has held the position since 2016, but is now active on the COSL board of directors. « Anne should now represent the Luxembourg Sport and then do not perform a leading function in a bandage, » Lamberty describes the main reason for the new election.

The gratitude for Kremer’s achievements is still clearly noticeable among those present. Schaul is also visibly moved by the use of her idol. « Anne was my role model from an early age. I have deep respect for what she did. In her athlete career, but also afterwards. »

So Schaul knows about the size of the footsteps in which it steps, but is happy to accept the challenge. « Of course it is different again if you are not just a co-captain, but have all the responsibility, » she admits, but has already found her own approach. « It is particularly important for me that you try to adjust to the players individually. »

Fresh wind

In order to be able to concentrate entirely on their protégés, the 41-year-old decided to no longer compete with the Billie Jean King Cup, which takes place in Moldova from June 16 to 21. « It was a long time in which I played. A great time with lots of nice memories, » Schaul looks back at her 23-year long participation history at the tournament and finds: « It’s time for a new beginning. It is time to let the boys drain. »

For example, the prediction of the squad, which is represented by the Grand Duchy at this year’s Billie Jean King Cup, is mostly of inexperienced players. It is now important to make them a unit as quickly as possible. The focus of the upcoming training sessions is therefore less on optimizing the game than on team building.

General pressure to perform does not exist for the young athletes anyway. « We must not put on this backpack to the boy and say: You have to play in the top 50, » says Lamberty. Although the era characterized by Kremer, Schaul and Mandy Mandy Mandy Mandy, one was « extremely spoiled », they could not see this success as everyday.

It remains to be seen how the team will do without Anne Kremer and under new leadership. For Schaul, however, it is clear: « Even if she is not there during the week, she will still be present somewhere. The team will not be available completely without Anne in my eyes. It will always be part of it. »