Rainy conditions over the Vabre complex in Rodez failed to stop the Internationaux de tennis semifinals on Saturday, where an international contrast defined the day’s play. While organizers prepared for Sunday’s championship matches on October 11 across both the men’s singles and the parallel CNGT women’s tournament, the afternoon schedule guaranteed that a French player would reach the singles final only by defeating a foreign opponent from either the Netherlands or Great Britain, Centre Presse Aveyron reported.
French Hopefuls Garcian and Gobat Advance Through the Draw
To break a three-year French dry spell in the Aveyron region—following Alexis Gautier’s titles in 2022 and 2021—local fans pinned their hopes on Axel Garcian and Adrien Gobat. Garcian punched his ticket to the semifinals on Friday morning when opponent Guillaume Dalmasso retired due to a lingering elbow injury while trailing 6–2, 3–0. Garcian admitted his physical execution was not entirely sharp after a grueling Thursday that featured three matches, including qualifying and a doubles run, but he maintained control of the baseline exchanges before the stoppage. Waiting for him in the next round was Adrien Gobat, who pulled off an upset by eliminating 17-year-old tournament favorite Daniel Jade 6–3, 7–5 on Friday evening. Gobat leaned on his competitive experience to secure the victory as he continues a gradual comeback from a six-month layoff due to a fractured wrist.
German Duo Captures the Doubles Title Early
While the doubles final was originally slated for Saturday, scheduling adjustments prompted a quick change of plans on Friday evening. French competitor Axel Garcian and partner Maxence Rivet faced off against German team Calvin Mueller and Julien Penzlin under the central court lights to accommodate players traveling to separate tournaments on Sunday. The German pairing established control of the tempo early and dispatched the French duo in straight sets, 6–3, 6–2, bringing a swift conclusion to a long day of tennis in southern France.
Hudd and Sels Chase a Spot in the Championship Match
On the international side of the singles bracket, British 456th-ranked player Emile Hudd advanced to the semifinals by defeating Germany’s Julien Penzlin 7–5, 6–4. Hudd noted that the fast courts in Rodez matched his preferred playing style as he managed the key moments of each set against a tricky server. Across the net in the other half of the draw, Dutchman Jelle Sels—who reached the M25 final in Rodez back in 2020—overcame Loann Massard 6–4, 7–6(9) in a tight straight-sets battle. Sels pointed to the altitude of the venue as a key factor demanding high-percentage first serves to stifle return games.
Top Seeds Enter the CNGT Women’s Draw
The parallel CNGT women’s competition escalated on Saturday morning as the tournament’s three seeded players entered the singles main draw at the Vabre complex. Defending champion Pauline Payet opened her campaign against Amandine Cazeaux at 9 a.m. local time, targeting a spot in the afternoon semifinals. Payet faced potential pressure from Pauline Mourato-Dore—her opponent in the previous year’s central court final—provided Mourato-Dore defeated former club player Sophie Martin in their morning clash. Théo Gravouil, a past champion in 2022, also launched her tournament bid against Victoire Lansaman, while Maya Bories squared off against training partner Maëlle Leclercq in a closely watched quarterfinal.
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