2024-10-30 18:49:00
When they arrive in town, everyone changes sidewalks, they seem less fragile and they are scary to see. Who that, who that? We are not talking about the thugs dear to the late Daniel Balavoine but about our French tennis players who have been happily strolling around the courts of the Accor Arena in Bercy since the start of the week. After the 5/8 of the first round, and despite the farewell defeat of Richard Gasquet, our Frenchies came close to being flawless this Tuesday during the round of 16 of the Master 1000 at Paris-Bercy.
While waiting for the last match of the evening between Arthur Cazaux and Ben Shelton, only our favorite concrete block swinger, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, left the exit door this Tuesday. If he had started well by winning the first set in the tie-break – what else? –, “GMP” seemed blunted by its big victorious week in Basel, against Karen Khachanov who achieved the feat of taking a serve (and a serve only) from the Lyon “servebot”.
A day at work (not) like any other for our Frenchies
Apart from that, the day started perfectly with the victory of Arthur Rinderknech against Alex Michelsen, quickly imitated by his little friends Arthur Fils (easy knocker of Struff), Ugo Humbert (victorious over the American Marcos Giron) and Adrian Mannarino, stunning against Zizou Bergs after losing the first round. Four French people qualified for the round of 16 out of the five competing, it’s been a while since we’ve seen that with our own eyes at Bercy, a place where it’s usually not good to speak French and eat baguette .
Last year, the French had signed the most beautiful gadin in history, with only one representative in the second round and none in the 8th – for only the second time since 1990 – after the defeat of Ugo Humbert against Zverev. Since we can’t help but theorize everything, how can we read these radiant performances this year? Should we see a link with the next move of the tournament to La Défense-Arena, in Nanterre? Questioned on the subject, Arthur Fils invalidates the theory of transcendental nostalgia.
“I don’t think too much about the fact that it’s the last one here, in Bercy. It’s sure that it’s an incredible tournament but I think that at La Défense it will be just as good. But it’s always nice to play well here, I feel good, like at home. » Concerning him, we should no longer see in this nice start to the course the signs of a lot of work invisible in training.
“I’ve been working a lot since the start of the year for this kind of match. I spend a lot of time on the field, in the gym. We work a lot to be able to maintain a fairly high level of play, a fairly high physical level throughout a match. You can feel it. Even if it’s the last tournament of the year, and I’m sticking my tongue out a little, in the end, it’s where I feel the best. »
Manna is back
In reality, each player has their own explanations. When Ugo Humbert says he just feels on fire – “When I play like that, I know that everything is possible” – Adrian Mannarino speaks of a mental shift after his major foot injury during the Masters 1000 in Miami.
“I thought it would be a matter of a few weeks, but it took several months before I could run normally again. I was fit to play this summer, but I lost a lot of matches in three sets. On the pitch, I had negative thoughts because I thought things weren’t going to go my way. Even when we got here, it was very average, but it seems to be going pretty well. In any case, I manage to play without thinking too much about my foot or my knee, which are the two recurring problems I have had this year. I hope it continues like this. »
As long as it lasts beyond the 8th grade
The fact remains that with four players in the 8th (and perhaps five if Cazaux manages the feat of hitting Shelton on Wednesday evening), we will start to believe in our lucky stars, we who have eaten a lot of porridge in recent years. The time for caviar has come. However, it will not be easy for everyone, and in particular for friend Humbert, opposed to Carlos Alcaraz in the next round. But Messin wants to believe in the madness of Bercy, the same one which allowed Hugo Gaston to overthrow the rising star of Spanish tennis three years ago.
“It’s the kind of match I love to play, I’m not afraid to play the best, I’m capable of beating them. I’m just waiting for the atmosphere. I will try to take the public with me, let them push me like never before, he promised at a press conference. I had seen his match against (Hugo) Gaston (defeat in the second round 6-4, 7-5, in 2021). I wish they were this warm. This match was incredible! They had managed to get it completely unpinned. » It’s no longer the same Alcaraz, nor the same public, which we find a little too chilly for our taste this year, but mountains are made to be toppled.
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#Master #ParisBercy #French #people #8th #grade #devilry
**Interview with French Tennis Player Arthur Fils**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us, Arthur. It’s great to see such strong performances from the French players at the Paris-Bercy tournament! What do you think has contributed to the success of the French players this week?
**Arthur Fils:** Thank you for having me! I think a lot of it comes down to our preparation and the work we’ve been putting in. Personally, I’ve been training hard all year to get to this level of play. Being in the tournament atmosphere, especially here in Bercy, really brings out our best.
**Editor:** You mentioned it’s an incredible tournament; how do you feel playing in Bercy compared to the upcoming move to La Défense-Arena?
**Arthur Fils:** Playing in Bercy does feel special for sure, and I think we’ve all appreciated this opportunity. But I don’t think the move will have a negative impact. La Défense will be great in its own way. I try not to get too caught up in the sentimentality of it all; my focus is on performing well.
**Editor:** Speaking of performance, you and the other French players have shown resilience this week. After a disappointing outing last year, what do you think has changed?
**Arthur Fils:** It’s true that we struggled last year, but I think we’ve all grown since then. Each of us has faced different challenges, but our determination has rallied us together this year. Every victory builds confidence, and we’re all looking to support each other.
**Editor:** The mental aspect is always a crucial part of the game. Ugo Humbert mentioned feeling on fire, while Adrian Mannarino spoke about overcoming injury. How do you handle the mental side of tennis, especially during a tournament?
**Arthur Fils:** It’s a fine balance. You need to stay focused but also enjoy the moment. I try to stay positive and remind myself of how much I love this sport. Training hard helps me trust in my game, so that when I step on the court, I’m ready mentally and physically.
**Editor:** It looks like that preparation is paying off. Any thoughts on your next matches?
**Arthur Fils:** I’m looking forward to it! Each match is an opportunity to learn and improve. I’ll take it one match at a time and hopefully keep this momentum going.
**Editor:** Thanks again, Arthur. Good luck in your upcoming matches!
**Arthur Fils:** Thank you! I appreciate it.
