Ugo Humbert has risen to the occasion once more this season, as he is set to play the semifinals against Karen Khachanov at Paris Masters today. He defeated the Roland Garros champion, Carlos Alcaraz, in the round of 16, before getting the better of Jordan Thompson. However, he isn’t alone on this journey. The two names that have been constant in his journey toward the top are his coach, Jeremy Chardy, and his girlfriend, Tessah Andrianjafitrimo. 

Ugo Humbert’s coach, Chardy, bid adieu to professional tennis in 2023, a season after taking up the coaching role for the fellow compatriot. However, before 2023, Chardy made waves in the professional circuit. He reached the career-high ranking of No.25 in 2013 and has one ATP title under his belt. Though it might not come as a surprise, the former tennis pro was at his best on the clay courts, as he claimed the 2009 Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart.

It was not just in the ATP tournaments that Chardy rose to the occasion, but at the Grand Slam level, too, he made it to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open back in 2013, and R16 at Wimbledon and Roland Garros. However, his best results in the Grand Slam came in the doubles category at the 2019 French Open. Chardy played the championship match with his fellow compatriot, Fabrice Martin. Certainly, his tennis prowess has helped Humbert improve, as he moves forward.

However, Chardy isn’t the only person on his team with tennis know-how. His girlfriend, Andrianjafitrimo, has also been an active tennis professional, with a career-best at No. 139. The former National girl’s champion of France in the 15–16-year-olds category made her ITF debut back in 2013, at the $25k indoor hard court tournament in Clermont-Ferrand. Despite currently being ranked at 309, Andrianjafitrimo is trying to regain her form and climb up the rankings after experiencing an injury-filled season in 2023.

Andrianjafitrimo, being a tennis player herself, undoubtedly understands the professional commitment required to make it big on the world stage. Hence, her constant support in the stands, cheering for Ugo Humbert, as he takes the top players, certainly boosts the morale of the Frenchman. And it might be visible in his performance this season, as he has been riding a good wave since Monte Carlo Masters.

Ugo Humbert’s gritty tennis journey: from battling injuries and rising to the top

In 2021, Ugo Humbert made headlines, after he defeated World No.10 Andrey Rublev in the final at the ATP 500. However, his 2021 season was cut short by injuries and health issues. Narrating the bitter-sweet season, he said, “I was injured. I had a problem with a vaccine, with Covid, and my body and my confidence dropped a lot and my ranking dropped to 150.” However eager to get back, Ugo Humbert joined forces with Chardy in 2022. He was ranked No. 86 in the world at that time.

Since then, Humbert has rapidly made his way to the top. And in 2024, the Frenchman now sits at the World No.18 spot, with Open 13, and Dubai tennis championships titles in his pocket. This is not all. He made it to the finals of the Japan Open in the singles and the Swiss Open in the doubles. Moreover, there have been a few remarkable matches that pushed Humbert into the spotlight, such as the Monte Carlo Masters.

At Monte Carlos, Humbert made headlines, after showcasing a remarkable comeback against the Argentine clay court specialist, Federico Coria. However, he struggled a bit after the Monte Carlo, as he faced early-round exits in several tournaments. But he finally broke through, as he has now breezed through the semifinals in Paris and is only one step away from the summit clash.