Photo by: Austin Perryman/MSU Athletics
Cirotte Continues Success As A Sophomore
February 25, 2022 | Women's Tennis
STARKVILLE – There isn't anyone at Mississippi State currently playing a better brand of tennis than Chloé Cirotte.
The sophomore has won 11 of her last 12 singles matches dating back to the fall and is also one-half of the 39th-ranked doubles team in the country along with partner Magda Adaloglou. Together, the duo has won nine of their last 10 doubles matches.
"I've only lost one match and my level has improved a lot since last year," Cirotte said. "I'm happy and obviously not crying over what I've done. But I'm obviously expecting to get better before we start SEC. I need to keep working on my game and my plan and get better every day."
In singles, Cirotte has switched between the No. 3 and No. 4 positions in the lineup and her only defeat came in a three-set battle with then 78th-ranked Ania Hertel of Georgia 5-7, 6-3, 4-6. Her play of late has given her coaches more assurance in her abilities.
"The way she is playing right now, we would put her up against anybody at any position and feel confident she can win," said associate head coach Sachin Kirtane.
Cirotte's success should come as no surprise. She was selected as the ITF Southern Region Rookie of the Year following her freshman campaign in which she posted an 11-6 singles record.
The Orleans, France native credits all the early achievements during her still young career to her relentless approach on the court.
"I'm fighting all the time and I never give up," Cirotte said. "Obviously, I want to win the point for the team so I'm giving my best every point."
Cirotte's work ethic was evident when since she arrived at MSU last spring. She opened her collegiate career by winning nine of her first 10 singles matches and was selected the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week on Feb. 20, 2021.
"She is one of the hardest workers on the team," Kirtane said. "We could see it when Chloé first came in. You could see her passion. You could see how much she works on the things you want her to work on…Her progress has been unbelievable. A lot of it is attributed to her work ethic and talent. When you possess talent like she does and you add in the work ethic, that equals success a lot of times."
COMING TO AMERICA
Moving to a foreign country would be a tough transition for most people. But Cirotte grew accustomed to being away from her family for long stretches long before she left France for the United States.
Cirotte started pursuing her passion for tennis at tender age of six and moved away to attend tennis academy by the time she was 12.
Despite the distance, Cirotte remains close with her family back in France but feels she has gained another surrogate family here in Starkville.
"I obviously miss my family and call them sometimes during the week and I enjoy going home and spending time with them during the break," Cirotte said. "But it's nice having a family here. My teammates, my coaches and everyone around me like my friends are really nice."
When Cirotte first arrived in America last year, she simply could not get over just how big things in and about her new surroundings seemed.
"Everything here is huge," Cirotte said. "In France, it's small everywhere. Then when I got here the food, buildings and the landscape are all huge. I'd seen some (American) movies and stuff but I didn't expect this. You really need to be here to realize."
The food – especially produce and meat - doesn't quite taste the same as it does in France. But Cirotte has become a fan of American desserts – especially bread pudding.
She also likes the low cost of soda in the United States.
"Coke, for instance, the small one is like five euros in France," Cirotte said. "But here you can get a liter for a dollar."
Although Cirotte is the only Bulldog from France, she is not the only player on the team that speaks French. Canadians Tamara Racine and Alexandra Mikhailuk are both fluent in French, especially Racine who speaks it as her first language hailing from Montreal.
SISTER, SISTER
Cirotte isn't the only female tennis player in the family. Her 18-year old sister, Astrid, is playing professionally and currently holds a 780 ranking in singles by the International Tennis Federation.
In fact, the Cirotte sisters played with and against one another in Tunisia while Chloe was on winter break during December. The Cirottes advanced to the doubles quarterfinals of the ITF Monastir 15K and it was Astrid who edged her older sibling 7-6(7), 3-6, 10-3 at the same event in singles.
'I FEEL LIKE I AM A STAR'
Cirotte contemplated turning pro at an early age just like her younger sister did. But with so much of the world still shut down last year due to COVID-19, she decided that coming to college would be the best way for her to continue advancing her tennis career.
And after experiencing college life at Mississippi State for a year, Cirotte is certainly glad that is the path she chose.
"It is huge for me," Cirotte said. "I feel like I am a star. When they give me clothes and have everything, I am like 'wow'. They treat us like professional people which makes me feel like 'wow'. It is so nice to feel like you are the big dogs here. Even with social media, it puts you in front of everything which is nice. We don't have that sometimes when you play pro and you have to do it on your own. College is a different experience."
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The sophomore has won 11 of her last 12 singles matches dating back to the fall and is also one-half of the 39th-ranked doubles team in the country along with partner Magda Adaloglou. Together, the duo has won nine of their last 10 doubles matches.
"I've only lost one match and my level has improved a lot since last year," Cirotte said. "I'm happy and obviously not crying over what I've done. But I'm obviously expecting to get better before we start SEC. I need to keep working on my game and my plan and get better every day."
In singles, Cirotte has switched between the No. 3 and No. 4 positions in the lineup and her only defeat came in a three-set battle with then 78th-ranked Ania Hertel of Georgia 5-7, 6-3, 4-6. Her play of late has given her coaches more assurance in her abilities.
"The way she is playing right now, we would put her up against anybody at any position and feel confident she can win," said associate head coach Sachin Kirtane.
Cirotte's success should come as no surprise. She was selected as the ITF Southern Region Rookie of the Year following her freshman campaign in which she posted an 11-6 singles record.
The Orleans, France native credits all the early achievements during her still young career to her relentless approach on the court.
"I'm fighting all the time and I never give up," Cirotte said. "Obviously, I want to win the point for the team so I'm giving my best every point."
Cirotte's work ethic was evident when since she arrived at MSU last spring. She opened her collegiate career by winning nine of her first 10 singles matches and was selected the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week on Feb. 20, 2021.
"She is one of the hardest workers on the team," Kirtane said. "We could see it when Chloé first came in. You could see her passion. You could see how much she works on the things you want her to work on…Her progress has been unbelievable. A lot of it is attributed to her work ethic and talent. When you possess talent like she does and you add in the work ethic, that equals success a lot of times."
COMING TO AMERICA
Moving to a foreign country would be a tough transition for most people. But Cirotte grew accustomed to being away from her family for long stretches long before she left France for the United States.
Cirotte started pursuing her passion for tennis at tender age of six and moved away to attend tennis academy by the time she was 12.
Despite the distance, Cirotte remains close with her family back in France but feels she has gained another surrogate family here in Starkville.
"I obviously miss my family and call them sometimes during the week and I enjoy going home and spending time with them during the break," Cirotte said. "But it's nice having a family here. My teammates, my coaches and everyone around me like my friends are really nice."
When Cirotte first arrived in America last year, she simply could not get over just how big things in and about her new surroundings seemed.
"Everything here is huge," Cirotte said. "In France, it's small everywhere. Then when I got here the food, buildings and the landscape are all huge. I'd seen some (American) movies and stuff but I didn't expect this. You really need to be here to realize."
The food – especially produce and meat - doesn't quite taste the same as it does in France. But Cirotte has become a fan of American desserts – especially bread pudding.
She also likes the low cost of soda in the United States.
"Coke, for instance, the small one is like five euros in France," Cirotte said. "But here you can get a liter for a dollar."
Although Cirotte is the only Bulldog from France, she is not the only player on the team that speaks French. Canadians Tamara Racine and Alexandra Mikhailuk are both fluent in French, especially Racine who speaks it as her first language hailing from Montreal.
SISTER, SISTER
Cirotte isn't the only female tennis player in the family. Her 18-year old sister, Astrid, is playing professionally and currently holds a 780 ranking in singles by the International Tennis Federation.
In fact, the Cirotte sisters played with and against one another in Tunisia while Chloe was on winter break during December. The Cirottes advanced to the doubles quarterfinals of the ITF Monastir 15K and it was Astrid who edged her older sibling 7-6(7), 3-6, 10-3 at the same event in singles.
'I FEEL LIKE I AM A STAR'
Cirotte contemplated turning pro at an early age just like her younger sister did. But with so much of the world still shut down last year due to COVID-19, she decided that coming to college would be the best way for her to continue advancing her tennis career.
And after experiencing college life at Mississippi State for a year, Cirotte is certainly glad that is the path she chose.
"It is huge for me," Cirotte said. "I feel like I am a star. When they give me clothes and have everything, I am like 'wow'. They treat us like professional people which makes me feel like 'wow'. It is so nice to feel like you are the big dogs here. Even with social media, it puts you in front of everything which is nice. We don't have that sometimes when you play pro and you have to do it on your own. College is a different experience."
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