The French have almost all arrived safely, in Bali, in the heart of Indonesia, for an exotic quarantine in a magnificent complex, first, and then two prestigious tournaments – the Indonesia Masters Super 750 and the Indonesia Open Super 1000 before, for the chosen few, the finals of the World Tour in the same enclosure of the Bali International Convention Center. Only the very recent reigning French champion Yaëlle Hoyaux had to turn around due to a vaccine problem.
It was a long and difficult journey, for the players of the France team – as for all those who were registered to participate in this “IBF” Indonesia Badminton Festival. And all did not go in the best of all possible worlds, for Yaëlle Hoyaux in particular: the very recent reigning French champion had to turn back in Istanbul, caught up by the meanders of the “Covidian” administration: if the vaccination schedule is considered complete in France with proof of having had the Covid and only one vaccine, it is quite different outside the borders of Europe. And it is often not very clear to travelers: to enter certain Asian countries, proof of a double vaccination, Covid or not, is required. In addition to a PCR test of less than 72 hours. What the Fos player had, but with this incomplete vaccination schedule in the eyes of the Indonesian authorities, she had to turn back …
The other tricolors, them, arrived (the coach Baptiste Carême, him, without his luggage, Toma Popov father, him, with the exchanged suitcase of Yaëlle) after a grueling trip of more than 24 hours and necessary stops for the administrative quarantines and Indonesian immigration crossings, which had been organized for the badminton community in a VIP lounge at the airport. But the game was worth the candle: the arrival was made in a luxury “resort”, in Nusa Dua, one of the seaside resorts of the paradise island. No access to the beach yet, during the 4 days of compulsory quarantine, but for the rest, the players could go about the usual occupations of tourists on vacation in this kind of place: card games, water volleyball, swimming pool and co. . Without forgetting, of course, the many moments of physical preparation, outdoors in the Indonesian humidity, or in the hotel’s fitness center.
The organizers, as often in Indonesia, had also prepared a magnificent “Welcome diner”, by the pool with DJs and traditional dancers, somewhat disturbed by the rain, but whose atmosphere was, for the first time in many years. long, forgetting the pandemic, despite the masks still worn by the guests.
Léonice Huet, Marie Batomene, Thom Gicquel, Delphine Delrue, Thomas Rouxel, Christo and Tomi Popov, Ronan Labar and Lucas Corvée have arrived well and are preparing to play in very lively paintings, despite the absence of the Chinese.
Tomi Popov in the light
Toma junior Popov has been nominated for the title of “most promising player” by the BWF, which will announce the winners in a few days, during the World Tour Finals. In addition, Lucas Mazur and Faustine Noël were also nominated in the “best para badminton male player” and “best parabadminton female player” categories. Tomi and his brother could well afford a third week under the coconut trees in Bali: Toma, on the strength of his two successes in Orleans and Huelva at the start of the year, prances in temporary 3rd place in the HSBC World Tour ranking, with 8 places to take in each category. Thomas Rouxel is eighth in the same ranking, but the points given during the Super 750 and Super 1000 could well see some players pass him at the last minute. Tomi and his brother Christo are also well placed in this same race to the World Tour finals – a unique fact for a men’s double. The two brothers are also preparing their fans a nice surprise at the end of the year …
Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue are out of the top 8 for the moment, but two good results in this next fortnight could be a game-changer. The Breton seems in good shape and his adductor injury forgotten. It is all smiles that they have, with Delphine Delrue and under the benevolence of their physical trainer Joran Love and their trainer Baptiste Carême, continued this morning the pre-competition warm-up exercises.
The tables of the Indonesia Masters
Photos (live): Raphael Sachetat / Badmintonphoto (Archives: Yohan Nonotte at YIFB)
