Three years ago in Viroflay, France, Romane Mosse decided to chase her dreams and come to play tennis in the United States.
Mosse’s first stop on her journey was Jacksonville, Alabama, approximately 4,420 miles from her hometown.
As the No.1 player for the Jacksonville State Gamecocks as a freshman, she flourished. In her sophomore season, she mounted a 13-7 record in singles, garnering interest from other schools nationwide.
Mosse transferred to Cal Poly in June 2024, ready to make an instant impact during her junior year.
“I wanted to chase new goals and see somewhere else in America, and I got a really good offer at Cal Poly,” Mosse said. “It’s an amazing program academically and for tennis. Now I’m here studying, practicing every day, and traveling everywhere with my best friends.”
An international dream
As a top international athlete, two paths are available after finishing a high school education: Stay home and play professionally or go to the United States to pursue a degree at a university while continuing your sport.
Mosse was introduced to the game by her parents, Celine and Pascal, and was most recently coached by her personal coach Sébastien Létot.
“I’m really proud of her,” Létot said. “She’s been training since she was a child. To live the dream she’s living now, I’m proud that Romane is happy and fulfilling her life as an athlete.”
From a young age, Mosse was a top-ranked junior. At her best, she finished in the top 10 in the French Junior Nationals. She eventually attended the prestigious private high school Lycée Passy Saint Honoré in Paris.
Leaving home, family and friends for America is a once-in-a-lifetime decision that most people will never truly understand, but Mosse has been chasing this dream since she was 14 years old.
But, one of the toughest obstacles standing in Mosse’s way was language.
“I did everything to come here, did the best in school I could, played a lot of tournaments, but to come to America, you need to speak English,” Mosse said. “You also need to take the SATs. I tried to get good, but I was bad, and three years ago, I barely could speak.”
Mosse’s doubles partner and graduate student Melissa LaMette described Romane as one of the most fun-loving and social players on the team.
“(Romane) has a huge heart and is an extreme social butterfly. We’ll be at the airport or a restaurant, and she’s always making friends,” LaMette said. “I’ve never met someone who loves to talk so much, and it’s crazy to me because English is her second language.”
Romane, now over 5,500 miles from Viroflay, has adapted to life in California, but she still thinks about family back home.
“You need to be really strong in the head, figure out your goals and what you want to do while you’re here,” Mosse said. “My parents have to adjust just as much as me. They watch me when they can on the screen, but my hope is that they will come out and watch me play a match here.”
The art of French tennis
Tennis is an international sport played worldwide, but the style, strategy, and even court surface differ in other parts of the world.
The American tennis experience is one of power and aggression played on a hard court surface, emphasizing a strong baseline style of play.
On the other hand, French tennis is played primarily on a red clay court. The clay surface emphasizes a slower pace, higher bounces and favors spin-oriented play.
Mosse’s game speaks for itself and translates well to the American style of flat, powerful groundstrokes, while also mixing in her own French flair.
She uses a good mix between her shots, changing up the pace using her backhand slice. Romane then speeds it up with her forehand down the line or inside-out cross-court as her main weapons, but she can also hold her own up at the net as well.
“Coming to America, I learned that there is not a single easy match,” Mosse said. “You need to prove every day that you can compete and belong here. Especially here at a great program, players here are grinding for every ball and every point. It’s a grind, but I love it.”
The Cal Poly program is no stranger to international recruits, and head coach Ellie Williams understands the significance and leap of faith Mosse took to come to San Luis Obispo.
“International recruits are all in, choosing this lifestyle, coming to the States, and going to school,” Williams said. “Romane is sold on this idea and understands what it means to be a great collegiate athlete and student; that’s where her passion comes from.”
Mosse’s mindset
“Allez!!!” Romane yells from court No. 6 as she grabs a victory over Santa Clara. “Allez” means “Come on” in French. Mosse is one of the most vocal players on the team and provides a spark of energy to every court around her.
“I just have so much fun with her on and off the court and Mosse always brings a smile to my face,” LaMette said. “When we’re playing I tell her to get fired up and take all that energy and use it against our opponents, it works.”
This year, Mosse made her transition to Cal Poly and Big West tennis appear seamless. She played lines No. 3-6 and posted a 17-5 singles record in the season, at one point winning 12 straight matches for Cal Poly.
Doubles domination is also a part of Mosse’s game. Mosse and her partner Melissa LaMette are 11-6 on the season, playing at line No. 2.
Cal Poly Women’s Tennis secured their second Big West Championship in program history and the first title in 20 years. Mosse and LaMette won their doubles matches in the semifinals and finals against No. 1 seed UC Santa Barbara and No. 6 Cal State Fullerton, respectively.
Mosse also won her singles matches against the Gauchos and Titans.
Mosse will be a senior next season as the Mustangs look to win back-to-back Big West Championships.