Respectively titled in the 3rd, 2nd and 4th series, the Haut-Garonnenais Claire Poeys, Paul Cayre and Jean-François Virepinte have an appointment in August at Roland-Garros for the national phase.
Honor to the ladies of course and we start with Claire Poeys (15, Luchon TC), crowned regional champion with three victories in the final table, including two in three sets (15/1 in the quarter and 15/2 in the final).
“Yes, I managed to get out of it”, specifies from the start this 3rd grader, winner in the half on an abandonment (while she was leading 6-4, 4-1 against another 15/2). “My parents have already participated in the French championship. For my part, it will be my first time at Porte d’Auteuil as a player. I went there in 2019 as a spectator”, underlines this fan of Roger Federer, launched in tennis at the age of 5, “already at Luchon TC”. Now ranked 5/6, she has an appointment on Parisian clay from August 18 to 22.
Regional champion… Waiting to play the departmental final!
To be crowned regional champion without having played in the departmental final. This is the astonishing anecdote of Jean-François Virepinte (15/4). “At the end of the departmental phase, we were six qualified. But I am in the final. We have arranged with my opponent, the match is scheduled for June 18 at the Balma League Center”, he explains.
For this regional stage, the player from Lapeyrouse-Fossat was placed directly in the last four: in the semi-finals, he won in two sets with equal ranking; in the final, he passes in three sets at 15/5. “Unlike the other categories, this 4th series final draw was played on hard. I must admit that it suited me rather well because it is on this surface that I train in my club. On the other hand, as I am 49 years old , I had a hard time between the heat and thirty-somethings on the other side of the net (laughs)”, indicates the one who rose to 15/3. Note that he has resumed tennis this season: “My children are at the Lapeyrouse-Fossat club. So I touched up the racket and we play it as a family. I attacked the unclassified season. I thank the teachers of the club which allowed me to qualify for Roland-Garros (laughs).” Its Porte d’Auteuil stopover is scheduled for August 24 to 28.
A 100% stadium final
Finally, in the 2nd series (Criterium), the Sept-Deniers were entitled to a 100% Stade Toulousain TC final between Paul Cayre (-15) and Axel Garcian (-15). But the latter, physically affected (cramps), unfortunately had to throw in the towel in the third and final round (1-6, 6-4, 3-0). For his part, the first named took the opportunity to retain his title. “I had to participate seven or eight times in the 2nd series French championship. But I never reached the quarters. So, this time, I would like to at least be part of the last eight players on the table”, confides Paul Cayre.
Just before this reunion in the final, the two Stadistes had defended the “red and black” colors during the Interclubs in National 2. “We finished in second place in our pool. Despite everything, as the best second out of eight pools in total, we won the climb”, rejoices Paul Cayre, expected at Roland-Garros from August 21 to 26.
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