Felix Balshaw claimed his first ATP Tour title this week, turning heads with a striking performance at the Lyon Open. The 20-year-old French tennis player, ranked 178th in the world, defeated Portuguese world number 56 Jaime Faria to secure the milestone win that has propelled him into the sport’s spotlight. Balshaw’s rise has been rapid; he began the year ranked 718th and cracked the top 200 only last month.
Balshaw’s story is unusual in tennis circles. Born in West Yorkshire, England, he is the son of Iain Balshaw, who famously scored three tries as a full-back during England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning campaign. Despite his English roots, Felix represents France, having grown up in Biarritz after his family moved there in 2009 when his father joined a French Top 14 rugby club.
The Basque coastal city, known for its Belle Epoque architecture and Atlantic surf, became the backdrop for Felix’s development both on and off the court. “We came down in Biarritz in 2009 and we just loved the place,” Balshaw said. “I grew up in France and, as each day went by, I felt more and more French.” Since his early days on the junior tennis circuit, he has carried the French flag in competitions.
Felix’s contact with England has been limited. The family visits back to the UK are mostly confined to Christmas gatherings, and Felix has never been to his father’s hometown of Blackburn. His maternal grandmother lives in Bath, but the younger Balshaw’s sporting identity is firmly tied to France.
On the eve of his Lyon Open second-round match against fellow Frenchman Corentin Moutet, Balshaw revisited his father’s rugby highlights from 2003 for inspiration. “I just had a massive smile [watching] because I can say ‘this is my dad’,” he said. Watching Iain play at Biarritz left a lasting impression on Felix. “When he was at Biarritz I was always stood in a little corner in the stands with the rugby gang. It was very, very inspirational to watch him.”
Iain Balshaw’s experience in rugby has shaped Felix’s approach to sport and life. “As a father he’s tough, but it’s always important that he has a lot of experience in rugby, so he’s got a lot of stuff to teach me. He’s always been a great, great part of my life. He’s always had my back,” Felix said.
Felix began playing tennis at four but showed promise in rugby as well. At 13, with a professional path looming, he chose tennis over rugby. “When I was little, and your father is a rugby champion, of course you always want to follow in his steps and do the same journey as him,” Balshaw said. “But I just felt that rugby was not going to be my sport. Tennis, I guess, is more difficult for me than rugby because it’s an individual sport, but there was a little more fire in me [playing tennis]. That meant it was the right choice to choose tennis.”
Balshaw’s style has drawn comparisons to Roger Federer, particularly for his one-handed backhand. He also marks his victories with a distinctive hammer celebration inspired by the Norse god Thor. His recent success at the Lyon Open included a win over Arthur Fery, the French-born British number one who made a name for himself with a Wimbledon semi-final run in July. The two met for the first time on the ATP 250 event’s courts this week.
With his ranking set to rise to inside the top 180 next week, Balshaw’s breakthrough is likely to attract attention from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). The British body is keen to expand its pool of elite players, but Balshaw has not been contacted by the LTA about representing England. “Maybe my parents are hiding stuff and I don’t know, but I have never been personally contacted by the LTA,” he said. “I think for [my parents] the most important thing is if I’m happy, they’ll be happy as well.”
According to BBC Sports.
