The party before the party. The first matches of the Roland-Garros Fortnight are scheduled for Sunday May 28, but the day before, Saturday May 27, already promised a great atmosphere on the courts for the “Yannick Noah day”. A vibrant tribute to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the champion’s coronation, when, on June 5, 1983, he beat the Swede Mats Wilander (6-2, 7-5, 7-6) in the final of the Parisian tournament and finally offered a Grand Slam in tricolor tennis.
The victory punctuated a good decade, the discipline becoming more democratic. Courts built in all directions, charismatic champions and Homeric duels: enough to attract more than 1.3 million licensees (the peak in 1991) and establish tennis as one of the most lucrative markets in the sports field.
With Yannick Noah’s return to the Porte d’Auteuil, a little wind of nostalgia blows for a blessed era. Gone? We could think so before the pandemic. In the window of the high level then shone the last shards of the trio of giants Federer-Nadal-Djokovic. On the amateur side, the federal statistics measured a slow decline, below the bar of one million licensees. As for the equipment manufacturers, they noted without enthusiasm the usual stability of the market.
The unprecedented growth of racquet sports
Then the Covid-19 came to turn things upside down. But rather for the best, concerning tennis. “Our sport, which can be practiced outdoors and allows us to respect the required social distancing, was perfect for getting back to exercise after the confinements. Suddenly, the rackets came out of the cupboardsrecalls Éric Babolat, the president of the eponymous manufacturer of racket sports articles, number 1 on the French market. The French have somehow rediscovered a playful, family practice, in line with the new interest in sport and health. Since then, the tennis market has enjoyed a tremendous second wind. »
And the phenomenon is similar in all countries. “Over the past two years, we have witnessed unprecedented growth for thirty years, to such an extent that everywhere demand exceeds supply, with equipment manufacturers who have had difficulty supplying certain items, in particular due to a shortage. labor “, observes Bertrand Blanc, world sales director of the world’s number one brand, Wilson. In the United States, the number of practitioners has increased by 20%. In France, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) found its million licensees last year, and the momentum continues.
“Sales of racquets increased by 15%, those of balls by 18%, and overall, if we add footwear and textiles, the market is up 15% compared to 2021, to more than 200 million eurosexplains Virgile Caillet, general delegate of the Union Sport & Cycles, the first professional organization in the sports sector. The dynamic is more than positive, and if we refer to the heyday of tennis in the 1980s, we can say that the potential is there to find this golden age. »
A diversity of practices
The FFT wants to believe it, which also makes an arrow of all wood on the “tennis everywhere” mode. Thus the “urban tennis” launched last year, which boils down to a racket and a foam ball. For the rest, everything is good to imagine a field, with street furniture as a net, the slightest wall to train. It is above all a question of trivializing the practice. Beach tennis, which for several years has taken up residence in the summer on the beaches, and padel – an intermediary between tennis and squash – booming with nearly 30,000 members now, also provide a life-saving bubbling.
« These new racket sports are profoundly modernizing the image of tennis, and allow us to reach new audiences. With urban tennis in particular, many young people who are not used to holding a racket have the opportunity to discover the first sensations of the game. This is extremely important for the FFT, which is keen to show that tennis, in all its forms, is a sport accessible to all, in which anyone can take pleasure”supports Gilles Moretton, the president of the FFT.
Bertrand Blanc is also delighted with this diversity: “Padel, one of the fastest growing sports in the world today, is in my opinion more of a chance than a competitor for tennis. It brings a breath of fresh air and brings a new population of practitioners into the clubs. » Many clubs are thus experiencing a new effervescence. “The pandemic is also at the origin of a desire to see the world and to meet people with the same passion, and therefore club life is picking up again”underlines Éric Babolat.
Continue to dust off the image
A certain country club chic, which disappeared with the predominance given to competition, is even becoming trendy again. Fashion is again interested in tennis, relying in particular on a somewhat vintage side very present today in sport in general. The Wilson brand does not hesitate to work on this image by collaborating with Saint-Laurent, for example.
“Former 1970s champion Billie Jean King said, ‘If you love tennis, it will be part of your way of life.’ It is one of the great strengths of our sport, capable of arousing strong emotions, through the spectacle it presents throughout the year, and this goes far beyond game lovers.analyzes Bertrand Blanc. For too long, we only talked to practitioners in clubs. We are now trying to expand our audience with a partnership with the automotive brand Cupra, for example, or the clothing brand Supreme to reach a more urban clientele. »
Roland-Garros, a renewed passion
Tennis applies to definitively get rid of its still too traditional image in the age of rushed and “fun” sports. Netflix has just come to the net, offering a documentary series, Break Pointwhere a few players are followed throughout the season, revealing behind the scenes of the circuit like the hit episodes of Drive to Survive with which the American platform revived interest in Formula 1. The first part of Break Point was broadcast in January 2023, the second is coming with Roland-Garros, and a second season is already being filmed.
The rise of a new generation of champions is also not for nothing in the current craze. Even if no Frenchman seems capable today of doing well, Roland-Garros should both confirm and accentuate the revival observed by all the players in the sector.
« Beyond the very high level performances, what I find inspiring is that the period of Roland-Garros is, each year, a time when France’s passion for tennis is renewed, both for practitioners and for non-practitionersignites Gilles Moretton. Witnessing this renewed passion every year is something magical. »
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More than a million licensees
The French Tennis Federation claimed at 1is May 2023 1,041,393 licensees within 7,051 clubs.
In terms of equipment, France has 32,360 tennis courts, 1,366 paddle tennis courts and 397 beach tennis courts.
The FFT has a budget of 384 million euros, more than 85% of this budget comes from receipts from Roland-Garros.
Roland-Garros 2023 will distribute 49.6 million euros in prize money this year, up 12.3% over last year. The player who triumphs in singles will receive 2.3 million euros, as in 2019.
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