‘Fun ride’: VCU tennis twins play final collegiate year together
VCU tennis athletes and identical twins Charles Bertimon and Maxence Bertimon before practice at VCU’s tennis facility in Richmond on Wednesday, March. 22. The Bertimon twins are playing their final season of collegiate tennis together. Photo by Arrick Wilson
Arrick Wilson, Sports Editor
Identical twins Charles Bertimon and Maxence Bertimon have played tennis together since they were 10 years old, according to the brothers. Now, the twins are entering their final collegiate year together at VCU.
The Champagne Sur Seine, France natives have been successful throughout their tenure as Rams, winning conference championships and becoming Intercollegiate Tennis Association, or ITA, All-Americans, according to VCU Athletics.
Charles Bertimon, a graduate student, chose to stay at VCU for another year because of how much he enjoys college, he said.
“It’s been a fun ride,” Charles Bertimon said. “I just love college — everything that is offered to you, the learning experience, the people, the college athletics, it’s really what keeps me going.”
Coming to college made Charles Bertimon a better person, he said.
“I took college as a stepping stone to just be the best version of myself,” Charles Bertimon said. “I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world.”
Maxence Bertimon, a senior student, started his collegiate career at Georgia Gwinnett College, but decided to transfer to VCU to join his identical twin after one year, according to Maxence Bertimon.
Maxence Bertimon wishes he could compete at VCU for another year, he said.
“I cannot do a master, for example, just like Charles, but I would do it if I could,” Maxence Bertimon said. “I’m glad to do my last year at VCU.”
The Bertimon twins are looking to lead the black and gold this season to surpass objectives on the season, Maxence Bertimon said.
“We [are] really in the mentality that we want to be leaders for the team, and we want to help the team reach the goals,” Maxence Bertimon said.
The Bertimons became the first VCU men’s tennis doubles pairing to reach the NCAA Semifinals, according to VCU Athletics.
“We obviously had a great season, but we didn’t expect that much success,” Charles Bertimon said. “It just came with hard work — to capitalize on that, this year we have such high standards for ourselves.”
VCU tennis head coach Anthony Rossi recruited both twins when he was an assistant at VCU, before being upgraded to head coach, according to Rossi. The Bertimon twins can be successful again this season, Rossi said.
“I think they can do something special this year,” Rossi said. “I think they can do something special once they graduate as well.”
VCU men’s tennis program has won five Atlantic 10 Championships since 2017, according to VCU Athletics. The team has garnered continued success since the twins joined the program, Rossi said.
“They’ve been a huge part of the success — the team has got better,” Rossi said.
The pair of identical twins plan on playing professional tennis together by next summer, according to Charles Bertimon.
“Right now we’re really focused on the season and getting the work done,” Charles Bertimon said. “We want to play both singles and doubles professionally, and travel internationally, trying to make it pro.”
The Bertimon twins understand how rough the process is to play tennis professionally, but they are ready for the task, Charles Bertimon said.
“We know how tough it is, we know that it’s not gonna be done overnight and it’s a long process and we [are] ready for it,” Charles Bertimon said. “I think college was a great experience to prepare us for that.”
