Par Lucas Jariais
Published on 12 Apr 24 at 7:46 See my news Follow Le Pays d’Auge
It’s a time of year that tennis fans in France particularly appreciate. The end of May means the arrival of the French Grand Slam: Roland-Garros.
The clay court tournaments then follow one another to prepare as best as possible for this important meeting. And it is a niche that Frédéric Torres, manager of the Deauville club (Calvados), has chosen to organize a professional tournament: a $25,000 Future-ITF from May 20 to 26, 2024, a week before the start of Roland-Garros.
Players between 230 and 400th place in the world
Deauville is not at its first professional tennis tournament. In the 1970s and 1980s the Montana Cup took place, which welcomed several world-class players. “I dreamed of doing an international tournament again,” confides the man who took over the reins of the club in 2019. “We have a club that is one of the most beautiful in France, with an extraordinary setting and quality pitches.”
This is why Frédéric Torres created this tournament, a Future-ITF $25,000, the third level of world tennis.
Qualifications to enter the main draw will be played on Sunday May 19 and Monday May 20. From Tuesday until Sunday, the final table will be made up of 32 players. Tennis players who will be between 230 and 400th place ATP, that is to say the world ranking.
Some players at this level sleep in locker rooms and clubhouses during tournaments
Frédéric Torres
And at this level of the ATP ranking, many young players are there and are hanging on to scrape places. Roland-Garros junior taking place from June 2 to 8, Frédéric Torres wants his tournament to “become a reference in preparation for Roland-Garros junior”.
A certain number of promising young players should therefore pass through Deauville during this week. “I have a dream, it is that in a few years, the winner of Roland-Garros, say 2027 or 2028, will have passed here before,” he hopes.
Videos: currently on News The central court of the Deauville club. ©Frédéric Torres
Frédéric Torres wants to put the tennis players present in the best possible conditions and for this, he has formed a partnership with Barrière to have the four semi-finalists sleep at Normandy all weekend. A privilege that players at this level (almost) never experience.
“It’s the hidden side of the secondary circuit,” he says. People think directly of Djokovic or Nadal who travel by jet, while some of this level sleep in the locker rooms and clubhouses during tournaments. As for the prize money, the tournament involves $25,000, approximately €23,500, of which 20% will go to the winner.
Guy Forget tournament sponsor
During the week, activities will be put in place. Particularly on Wednesday May 22, where children from tennis schools around Deauville will be able to exchange balls with professional players.
Guy Forget, former tennis player. ©Pascal Cayeux
The one who is also co-organizer of the Deauville international marathon, the United music of Deauville and partner of the Lacoste ladies Open de France golf, sees bigger for his tournament in the coming years.
“We don’t intend to stay at this level. The idea is that this tournament becomes the place where we discover the stars of tomorrow.” A first edition which will, moreover, have as godfather a certain Guy Forget, former player, captain of the French team and director of Roland-Garros.
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2024-04-12 05:46:02
#Deauville #professional #tennis #tournament #stake
