He is the last Frenchman in the running, after the elimination on the night of Thursday to Friday of the women’s doubles Camille Pognante (Red Star Mulhouse)/Elsa Jacob and men’s doubles Baptiste Labarthe/Tom Lalot Trescarte. As during the 2022 edition in Santander (Spain), Strasbourg’s Alex Lanier, world number 1 junior in singles, qualified for the quarter-finals of the individual world championships in the category in Spokane (United States) , only ten days after resuming competition with France in the team tournament. The ASPTTS player, seeded No. 1, had not played any official match since the beginning of June due to a fractured vertebra.
Just before midnight this Thursday, the 2022 European junior champion, who had suffered in the previous round to oust the Japanese Daigo Tanioka in 1h09′ (21-19, 17-21, 21-9), controlled his round of 16 against the Thai Wongsup Wongsup-In, seeded 16 (21-13, 21-11). The latter surrendered in 37 minutes without ever having worried the Alsatian, in the lead from start to finish, except in the very first exchanges of the second set.
” I feel much better “
Arriving lacking reference points in the American West after his three and a half month unavailability, the European hope for 2022 and 2023 is slowly gaining momentum. “My opponent was less strong than in the previous round, but in terms of sensations, I feel much better. I’m gradually finding my style of play again. It’s comforting. On the other hand, physically, I’m a little affected, because my long match against the Japanese didn’t do me any good. »
Last year in Spain, the four-time European youth champion stopped in the quarter-finals. This time, he will try to enter the last four and secure a medal, he who is aiming for gold for his last year among juniors. After less than 24 hours of recovery, he will face the Chinese Zhang Ning this Friday around 9 p.m., who has gone under the radar a little until now, which is not surprising, as Asians generally do not compete until quite late. on the international circuit.
“I don’t know him too well,” he admits, “But often, if the Chinese don’t necessarily have flashes, they are quite solid over time. I saw that he beat other Asians in the previous rounds. I know it will be hard, but interesting. It’s still a good experience to have. »
Above all, it’s a medal to be sought after. A charm on which Camille Pognante, quarter-finalist in the women’s doubles with Strasbourg’s Malya Hoareau a year ago in Santander, drew a line in the round of 16 in Spokane. Seeded n°5 with the Fosséenne Elsa Jacob, the Mulhouseienne abandoned her hopes of a podium at the end of a tough and contested match of 1h01′ against the Japanese Riko Kiyose and Ririna Hiramoto, seeded 15 and victorious in three sets (23-25, 21-15, 21-15).
2023-10-06 09:15:46
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