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Editor’s note: Stephanie Dubois is Canada’s top ranked female player as of November 5, 2007 with a WTA rank of 102. The former Canadian Junior Champion, now 21 years old, has just reached her highest WTA ranking. She reached the third round of the 2006 Rogers Cup in Montreal. Simon Larose her coach interviewed her at “Shogun”, a Japanese steak house in Pittsburg

Simon: We see you hanging out with this guy at all the Canadian tournaments, who is he?

Firstly, there was confusion; Stephanie wasn’t sure who we were referring to.

My boyfriend Marc Andre, we’ve been together 3 years, and he is still being patient with my lifestyle as a full-time traveling pro tennis player.

Simon: What do you think are the keys for a lasting relationship with Stephanie Dubois?
[PS. I am interested as her coach]

I love to have real life connection with the people in my life. Everyone who is involved with me is a friend of mine: coaches, doctors, everyone.

Simon: I hear you are working on your sense of humor and your English, which one is tougher?

Both need no improvement! No, no, no, my English has improved drastically and I have been talking a lot more sophisticated, ever since I have been hanging around with Katy.

Simon: You seem much more relaxed than before and you have admitted to that, what caused the change?

There are a lot of reasons…1) My head is much more clear. I changed the way I think more positive, just going day in and day out.

Simon: Who have been the more influential people in your development as a player?

I’ve had a lot of people that helped me in my tennis career. Beginning with academy AMG, I had agility practice there. I had a great surrounding when I was a young tennis player and I have the chance now to work with Simon and I feel really lucky.

Simon: How different is the tennis climate for you in Quebec compared the rest of Canada?

It’s great, Tennis Quebec really gives us great support and we get a lot of access to necessary physiotherapy, massage, etc.

Simon: What do most people don’t know about Stephanie Dubois?

I love to go dancing! For me, I never had the chance to have lessons but I hope I will after my tennis, with more time.

Simon: Three words/phrases that describe Stephanie Dubois:

Generous, Energetic, Passionate

Simon: Next year’s [2008] objective

To keep striving to be a better tennis player and person, also to aim to be in the main draw of the Slam’s 2008.

Merci Beaucoup Steph!

This is some text prior to the author information. You can change this text from the admin section of WP-Gravatar  Katy Shulaeva is a professional on the WTA Circuit. As one of Canada’s top players, she has competed for Canada on Fed Cup and Junior Fed Cup. A past National Champion, Katy has been training at Ace Tennis Academy with Pierre Lamarche since she was 11 years old. Originally from Moldova, she has been courting her tennis dream since first picking up a racquet as a young girl. Currently, she is recovering from foot surgery performed in October 2008.