Haunui Montas and Lucas Segati upended the tournament favorites to claim the men’s doubles title at the Tahiti Open beach tennis tournament on the Paofai sand courts, TAHITI INFOS reported. The pair dropped the opening set before rallying past top-tier locals Yankell Clavery and Jérémy Duchier 7-5, 6-7, 10-6 in a final that highlighted Sunday’s championship slate.
Paofai Sand Courts Host Sunday Finales
The tournament reached its climax on the Paofai beachfront under bright sunshine and in front of the public grandstands, featuring four championship matches on Sunday. The mixed doubles title had already been decided on Saturday, when Yankell and Laetitia Clavery defeated Jérémy and Jessica Duchier 4-2, 4-1. That opening defeat derailed Jérémy Duchier’s bid for a tournament triple-crown, though he bounced back later in the weekend.
Jérémy Duchier Secures Singles Crown After Mixed Doubles Disappointment
Denied in the mixed doubles final, Jérémy Duchier recovered to capture the men’s singles championship. He outlasted Alexandre Adam—a newcomer who recently relocated from Réunion—in a tight tie-break finish. In the women’s singles bracket, Taï Taerea secured a straightforward 6-1 victory over Tahia Ischer to claim the title.
Nelly Bartolo and Sarah Santacruz Dominate Women’s Doubles
In the women’s doubles final, top-seeded Nelly Bartolo and Sarah Santacruz continued their strong regional form after previously winning in Papara. The pair raced through the first set 6-1 on the central court. Rita Colombel and Aude Nesa mounted a determined comeback in the second set, forcing a tie-break before Bartolo and Santacruz closed out the straight-sets victory.
Out-of-Region Challengers Overturn Local Hegemony
The men’s doubles final showcased a clash between established local dominators and traveling contenders. Yankell Clavery and Jérémy Duchier entered the match as heavy favorites after winning a tournament together just a week earlier. Across the net stood Lucas Segati, traveling from Bora Bora, and Haunui Montas, whose professional career as a customs officer is based in Modane within the French Alps. Despite limited recent competitive play on the French mainland, Montas maintained high-level form alongside Segati. The challengers stunned the favorites by taking the opening set 7-5, dropped the second set in a tie-break, and sealed the championship by taking the super tie-break 10-6.
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