Nicolas Peifer’s record in wheelchair tennis is impressive: number one world junior in 2007, ex number two world, twice champion of France, finalist of the tournaments of Roland-Garros, Australia and the US Open. Tournaments he won in doubles (with Wimbledon) as well as the gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016, associated with Stéphane Houdet. The presence of the Sarregueminois this Thursday at the Tennis-club of Thionville is explained by his friendship with David Sellier, with whom he came to exchange some balls. The ex-disabled athlete from Thionville, after a career in road racing and more specifically the half-marathon, wanted to change discipline. “It was Nico who convinced me that wheelchair tennis could suit me,” said the 34-year-old. “I started from scratch. I had never even held a racket in my hand. Fortunately, I was made to feel very welcome here at the Thionville Tennis Club, which even put a sparing partner, Clémence Pagnon, at my disposal. Which she does with great kindness. With the help also of Sorriba Camara, I quickly progressed, to the point today of being able to play matches ”, he rejoices. At the rate of four training sessions per week, added to four weekly weight training sessions, David wants to give himself the means of his necessarily high goals. “My dream would be to participate in the 2024 Olympics.”
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Search for specific partners
The concern is that his chair is not adapted to his morphology. “So I’m looking for partners who would be ready to invest in the long term. With, why not, a commitment related to my performance and my progress. Because we must not delude ourselves, tennis remains an expensive sport and we can have the best talent in the world, if we have no money, we stay at home, “he laments, a little scalded by his experience in athletics.
Sabine Pawelec, sporting director of TC Thionville, took advantage of this disabled sport meeting at the summit to announce the creation within the club of a paratennis section. “This is the logical continuation of the Tennis Health section, already set up, aimed at obese, diabetic or women victims of breast cancer,” she comments. As for Nicolas Peifer, his eyes are already on Roland-Garros which will take place exceptionally in September this year. To finally be able to put an end to his curse, in the singles final, at the Grand Slam tournaments. “Out of eight finals played, I lost eight! “And eight is enough!
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