Four thousand four hundred miles — that’s how far Célia-Belle Mohr moved to play tennis at Vanderbilt. Mohr hails from Montargis, France, a town known for its beauty, canals and bridges. In 2021, Mohr left those familiar surroundings behind and headed across the Atlantic to pursue the next step in a tennis journey that began years earlier at her mother’s behest.
“It’s funny because I didn’t start tennis because I wanted to,” Mohr said. “My mom said that when she would have a girl, she would want her girl to play tennis. So, [ever] since I was five years old, I always played tennis. Now I’m almost 23, and I never stopped.”
While Mohr may not have chosen tennis, she has grown to love the sport and the team element that comes with playing it collegiately.
“Tennis is a tough sport, but you hate it and love it at the same time,” Mohr said. “Personally, I’ve been going through a lot with tennis, but it’s a fun sport and coming to Vanderbilt [was] so much fun. I like the fact that we’re in a team because tennis is always very individual and having teammates [at Vanderbilt] is the first time that it happened to me.”
The team mentality that Mohr displays day in and day out was tested just as she was beginning to cultivate it. During her first year at Vanderbilt, Mohr did not compete and perpetually cheered from the bench instead. While Mohr loves to support her teammates, not playing in matches — the part of tennis she loves most — was difficult.
Add in the challenges of being a first-year, international student, such as adjusting to a new culture, conversing in another language, developing friendships and adapting to higher-level academics. Mohr’s wisdom shines through as she reflects on those struggles, and it becomes clear what has made her so successful at Vanderbilt.
“It was a long year, but I think that everything happens for a reason, and it was probably the best for me because I could focus on school, learning the language and then just making more friends,” Mohr said. “[In my] second year, [I was] able to balance out tennis and competition and school at the same time. So I just had one year to adapt myself to the lifestyle.”
Mohr’s year of preparation paid off and she stormed onto the tennis scene in her sophomore season, excelling in Vanderbilt’s No. 1 singles position. Mohr posted a 31-16 singles record and won 12 matches over nationally ranked opponents. She was an ITA All-American while also making the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
“It was a nice first year with great results. Playing at [the] one was a bit stressful at first because I didn’t know if I was capable of being at this position,” Mohr said. “But it was fun. Even in doubles — I wasn’t really a good doubles player, but I was playing with a great doubles partner who helped me a lot.”
Mohr played doubles alongside both Marcella Cruz and Anessa Lee, with the former pairing earning a 14-4 record and the latter a 10-1 record. The Lee and Mohr tandem continued to produce victory after victory in Mohr’s junior season, and the duo posted a 29-13 record and advanced to the NCAA semifinals.
While Mohr is humble about her doubles skills, it isn’t a coincidence that she has found significant success with different doubles partners, year after year. This season, first-year Sophia Webster has joined Mohr on the court, and the two have combined to form the current No. 14 doubles team in the nation. Mohr and Webster are 19-6 and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals this past September.
“It’s so funny — [the] freshman, senior dynamic. It’s so unique. I love it. She’s like my little sister,” Mohr said. “She’s amazing. Also, she came with a lot of knowledge in doubles. So she came prepared, which was easier, and we are both tall [and] have the same game, so we can serve well and move well.”
Mohr’s game, which she says hinges on her serve and her aggressive net play, has continued to lead to great singles results as well. In her junior season, Mohr’s resume included a 33-9 overall singles record with 16 wins against nationally ranked opponents. She earned ITA All-American honors in singles for the second straight year, reached a No. 6 ITA national ranking, and made it to the quarterfinals of the NCAA singles championships. Mohr currently holds a No. 11 ranking after a 16-6 record in singles so far in her senior season. Though she has achieved immense individual success, Mohr believes her growth in tennis and as a person through the sport is because of her team.
“There’s so many aspects that you don’t face when you are by yourself all the time, training by yourself. Then, when you’re in a team, the teamwork is more valuable,” Mohr said. “Everyone counts in a team and everyone contributes to the same goal. And you see this for student-athletes, but you also see this in normal life. These are skills that I did not have before, and I had to learn. So I’m better at communication. I’m also better at sacrificing for others, and as a person, I’m more mature.”
This maturity has led to Mohr becoming Vanderbilt’s team captain, although she sees herself as more of a “big sister.” Beyond the court, Mohr is an older sister to brother Eden, and this mentality has carried over into tennis, where she seeks to provide comfort and confidence to her younger teammates.
“I just look at myself when I used to lose matches — I would be crying. Now, I don’t cry anymore. I try to help the youngest feel better,” Mohr said. “I like to be the oldest and help[ing] the others and the youngest feel better on [the] court and approach dual matches with less stress and more confidence. Because this is something that really helped me when I was a freshman, and I just want to replicate it.”
Also contributing to Mohr’s development as both a player and person are her coaches, whom she is especially close to because of their young age — clocking in at around 33 years old, according to Mohr’s calculations. She credits the coaching staff with helping her acclimate to a new environment and improving her play.
“They told me so many things that helped me in my game, with obviously winning matches and also losing because it helps for the future matches,” Mohr said. “They’re great and very talented and very focused on details, which is crucial for tennis.”
This detail-oriented coaching has paid off throughout Mohr’s career, but was perhaps displayed best in her stunning March 16 three-set win against No. 3 Mary Stoiana, a key contribution to Vanderbilt’s upset victory over No. 2 Texas A&M.
“It’s so funny because sometimes you look at what’s happening on paper and who’s going to win on paper, but tennis is all about a lot of determination and believing in yourself and in your teammate — everything is possible,” Mohr said. “I’ve been dreaming about this moment especially. It was just amazing. And all the work that we’ve been doing since last year, since January, it finally [paid] off, and it feels great.”
While Mohr is thrilled with the results of her practice and preparation, she emphasized that she is more process-oriented, which helps her stay relaxed during matches.
“I think I’m just very chill,” Mohr said. “I just focus on competing very hard and not the result, because I believe that the process is more important. If you follow the process with a lot of discipline, a lot of determination and great competitiveness, you can win every match.”
Mohr will look to bring this approach to the rest of Vanderbilt’s season, which has been a success so far, as the Commodores are 15-4 and ranked No. 16. However, Mohr is preparing to move on from tennis and look at other professional avenues once this season is over.
“I don’t think I’m gonna play [professionally],” Mohr said. “I don’t know if I would enjoy the lifestyle of going back by myself. I just love being with people around me and having to compete and practice with my best friends every single day. So going back by myself, I don’t think I can, but I’m looking [to] either transition to working in finance or hopefully getting a master’s [degree].”
While the end of a career in sports that has been at the center of someone’s life for so long can come with feelings of fear or sadness, Mohr’s excitement for life after collegiate tennis comforts her.
“I’m kind of scared to say that [I will not be going pro] because I’ve been playing tennis for so long that it feels weird to say,” Mohr said. “But at the same time, I’m ready to just transition to something else. I’m also curious, and I like to learn and try new things. I’ll be playing tennis, obviously, but, you know, for fun.”
The same curiosity, determination and passion by which Mohr conquered her opponents and prevailed over her early adversities after moving to the United States will undoubtedly guide her to success in this next step of her journey.
