French photographer Antoine Couvercelle is present at nearly every Grand Slam and many other major tournaments, capturing the emotion, elegance, and vibrance of tennis. While he was assigned to other sports at the 2024 Olympics, he managed to shoot the second-round doubles match of Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz. There, he took two images that we are honored to have included in the new issue of Tennis In Photographs. Below, he answers our questions about his career and how the images came to be.
What has it been like to follow the careers of The Big 3 in your photography?
While it's been really lucky for me to follow the careers of The Big Three, I think all photographers are grateful to have been able to shoot this generation. It's true that The Big Three is above everything, and we will probably never get to see the same again. It's been a blast for all of us. For me, they are different in their own ways, and all of them are so good to shoot. We are all really lucky.
Given Rafa Nadal’s recent retirement, what made him so special to photograph?
It was so special to photograph him even before matches. As soon as he came on the court, the intensity he gave was so good. From the first point to the last one, he gave everything in his actions, reactions, emotions—everything. One of the best moments for me was shooting him when he won the 2008 final at Wimbledon versus Roger Federer. It was totally in the dark, and the emotion was so big.
At Roland-Garros, for his first title there in 2005, I made a bet to photograph from the pit, and he laid down next to me, celebrated on his knees and everything. Five years later, after the trophy ceremony, he came back to take photos of the ball boys and when he saw me, he gave me a hug, which meant a lot. Another moment was when I went to his hometown in Manacor at the end of 2004 on an assignment with a tennis magazine. I was the only photographer, and the shoot was at his parent’s house and childhood tennis club. I was really lucky to capture these moments.
What are your favorite tournaments and conditions to photograph tennis in?
My favorites are Wimbledon, Indian Wells, and Monte Carlo. Wimbledon because of the atmosphere, the history, the traditions, the sound of the ball, and the culture. The grass is natural, and the clean backgrounds without advertisements or empty seats are important to me. In Indian Wells, there’s always light, it’s sunny, and we have many positions. I’ve been going to Monte Carlo since I was a kid, where we have maybe the best position of any tournament—the sea view on top of the media center.
At the Olympics, what was it like to capture Nadalcaraz at Roland-Garros?
I was mainly photographing other sports. Since I was finished with them, I asked my manager if I could go. I knew Nadal and Alcaraz were playing on Suzanne Lenglen, and that there would be good light, so I ran there. When I arrived, the first set was over, but it was a fantastic atmosphere, and they won. I was aiming to have shots with both players, to show the connections between the two legends. We’ll always remember that they played at Roland-Garros for the Olympics, and the pictures will be even stronger in the future.
What do you enjoy about photographing tennis compared to other sports?
I do enjoy photographing tennis because I'm passionate about it. That's what makes a difference, even though sometimes it can be boring to shoot forehands, backhands, and everything else every time. There are still some players like Alcaraz and others who make me still enjoy it. I also like that tennis is always happening in good places, at nice times of the year. In other sports, you can shoot in winter or bad weather. If you shoot football in Europe, you have to wait in the cold. It’s not Indian Wells!
As a French person, how did you experience the Olympics in Paris, and did it feel extra special for you?
The Olympics were fantastic. I didn't expect it. It was a really, really, really good experience. Of course, I was born in Paris. I love Paris. I even discovered some new angles of the city thanks to this Olympics. The atmosphere was so nice. Everybody was happy. Everybody was having a good time. Me too. I was like a kid going from place to place to shoot different sports. It was quite challenging, but it was unique.
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