Tennis: Paul-Henri Mathieu played ball collectors

Did you think Paul-Henri Mathieu had definitely left the tennis courts?

Seeing him again this Wednesday on the clay courts of Strasbourg, his hometown, was quite surprising.

Except that it is not racket in hand that the finalist of the Davis Cup 2002 made his reappearance.

The former world No. 12 (in 2008) just picked up the balls during a set during one of the round of 16 of the women's tournament, which pitted the Russian Anna Blinkova against the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka.

Big surprise at # IS20: Paul-Henry Mathieu becomes a ball collector during 1 rotation during this match where #AnnaBlinkova and @SabalenkaA will face each other 😲😝 CC @WTA pic.twitter.com/GQkMYITk9Z

- WTA Strasbourg (@WTA_Strasbourg) September 23, 2020

“Paulo”, as he was affectionately known in the 2000s, simply responded to the organizers 'invitation: “It was a great way to pay tribute to the WTA on its 50th anniversary,” PHM told the newspaper l' Alsace.

In addition, I had already picked up the balls in these same internationals.

In 1989 and 1990, I was a collector in Hautepierre (the league center in Strasbourg).

These are the kinds of events that make you want to go professional even more when you're a kid.

"

“It was tough today, I was doing the baseline with the sun in my eyes!

In addition, with the Covid rules, there are only three on the court… But it's the youngster who is at the net who does all the work.

He's the one who sets the pace and, there, he was very good!

“In the end, Aryna Sabalenka won in three sets (1-6, 6-4, 6-2).