To perform at the highest level, every athlete needs to push themselves out of their comfort zone. After all, it is through difficulty that we learn. Facing new adversity was a good opportunity for Miléna Surreau to lose her bearings a little in order to find herself better. For this, the parabadist presented herself at the Saint-Nolff tournament alongside the able-bodied: “This is not the first time that I have played against them,” underlines the Breton. This season, I played two or three similar tournaments which allowed me to see something else.” Disabled by spasticity (involuntary muscular stiffness), she makes no excuses and demonstrates it in matches.
Different size of field, greater physical intensity, the conditions are far from those they find when competing in international competitions. And after two months of break, Miléna wanted to face a different adversity but also “rediscover the atmosphere of a competition. The noise, the lights, the people… Playing under pressure is also the best way to see what you’re really worth. »
“Some young people can’t stand it when I beat them”
If the licensee of the Badminton club Mendulphin took out his racket to face the able-bodied, it is also due to the lack of parabadminton competition in France, which moreover, also translates to “at a fairly low level”. So when the European champion shows up at a tournament with prosthetic feet, it obviously strikes a chord.
“Today, a lot of people know me and know what I was able to do,” reports the one who participated in the 2024 Paralympic Games. Some young people cannot stand that I beat them and they end the match crying, perhaps out of shame, she laughs. But others, on the contrary, are very kind, they communicate with me. We discuss my experience and I always do it with pleasure.”
The results
Simple Dames series 4: 1. Sausse; 2. The Page; 3. Touche and Mr. Surreau.
Simple Dames series 5: 1. Guyot; 2. Bivaud; 3. Moquet and Coulange.
Men’s singles series 5: 1. Tabone; 2. Gicquello; 3. Knoll and July.
Men’s singles series 6: 1. Rabble; 2. T. Collet; 3. Mass and Rinse.
Men’s singles series 7: 1. Jannic ; 2. Dupont ; 3. Clotteau et Ligron.
Men’s singles series 8: 1. Langel; 2. E. Collet; 3. Soudier and Chollet.
Men’s singles series 9: 1. Lécuyer; 2. Biteau; 3. Diotel and Le Tennier.
Men’s singles series 10: 1. Jacquemont; 2. Tabart; 3. Toy and Pellier.
Thélo Tabone won in men’s singles series 5. (Photo Julien Le Dorze)
James Whitfield is Archysport's racket sports and golf specialist, bringing a global perspective to tennis, badminton, and golf coverage. Based between London and Singapore, James has covered Grand Slam tournaments, BWF World Tour events, and major golf championships on five continents. His reporting combines on-the-ground access with deep knowledge of the technical and strategic elements that separate elite athletes from the rest of the field. James is fluent in English, French, and Mandarin, giving him unique access to athletes across the global tennis and badminton circuits.
