MAXENCE IMBERT

"Like father, like son," as the saying goes. Recently crowned French squash champion in the under-13 category, Maxence Imbert comes by his talent honestly: his father was among the top 15 nationally ranked table tennis players and trained alongside Jean-Philippe Gatien – former world champion and Olympic silver medalist – during his time at INSEP (National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance). After his career, Jean-Jacques Imbert moved to Réunion Island, and it was at the ASCAC club that his son discovered squash alongside him. At the age of 5, Maxence joined the Jardin Squash Club's youth program, then run by Kévin Tomas, who was replaced by Matthieu Huin in 2017. "It's already been five years since I've been coached by Matthieu, time flies," smiles the young Réunion native.

“There are lots of things I enjoy about squash, like meeting other kids my age,” says Maxence. “I also like racket sports and competition.” After playing his first regional tournament in 2016, he hasn't played many since, largely due to the health crisis that brought sports to a standstill for almost two years. His first French Championship, at the end of 2021 in Lille in the under-13 category, allowed him to make a name for himself. Seeded 22nd, he caused a sensation by knocking out Lysandro Joneau, a bronze medalist in the under-11 category two years earlier, in the round of 16. Eliminated in the next round (“I was a bit stressed,” he admits), he nevertheless finished in a respectable fifth place. “I didn't know the other players at all; it was a great experience,” adds Maxence.

This skill would prove invaluable at the French Interleague Championships a few months later in Bordeaux, where he showcased his fighting spirit: he won three matches in five games in a single day, including one against Théo Baudry – the player who had beaten him in the North – and contributed to Réunion's silver medal. "Maxence made a real impression there," remarks his coach, Matthieu Huin. So much so that he earned his first selection for the Five Nations tournament. "I didn't even know there was a French U13 team; it was a wonderful surprise when I received the message from the coaches," recounts the young student. Even though the French team lost to England, Maxence added another silver medal to his collection. This would turn into gold at the French Championships in Clermont-Ferrand in May: after saving a match point in the quarterfinals against Lysandro Joneau, he defeated his clubmate Clément Leperlier in the final. "If someone had told me a few months ago that I would be a French champion and selected for the French team, I wouldn't have believed it," says this enthusiastic boy who trains five times a week, with several physical sessions on the menu.

Maxence Imbert took another step forward this summer, participating in his first European tournaments. "I'm eager to compete against the best, and it would be great to finish in the top 10," he told us before heading to Europe. He achieved his goal: he finished 9th in Germany and then 10th in the Netherlands, winning 7 of his 10 matches. "I know it takes a lot of hard work to reach the top level," he added. "On the other hand, I'm young and I still have time to decide if I want to pursue a career in squash. The important thing is to enjoy myself on the court."