“Health Marion”.
This sentence launched by Benoit Paire at the address of Marion Bartoli in 2019 at the height of the falling out between the player and the former world number 7 has become an everyday expression.
A joke that we swing, with a smirk, on the tennis courts or during festive moments.
The organizers of the modest Rennes Tennis Open have sniffed out the right shot to get people talking about them.
With success because they made a nice media stunt.
They offered to offer entry to all people named Marion for this Wednesday on the occasion of Benoît Paire's first singles match, scheduled for 7 p.m. against his compatriot Dan Added.
The only condition to take advantage of free admission is to present an identity document attesting to the appropriate first name.
😘 pic.twitter.com/Lue43zxSau
— MARION BARTOLI (@bartoli_marion) September 13, 2022
“We had this idea with the communication team of the tournament, explains in the daily Ouest-France Matthieu Blesteau, director of the Open de Rennes.
We thought it was funny so we discussed it with Benoît (
Paire
) and he accepted.
We will honor that promise!
»
It now remains to be seen whether the Marions, who will undoubtedly be numerous in the room, will support Benoit Paire during his match.
Answer in the evening.
In the meantime, Marion Bartoli, she, with humor, seemed to endorse the approach of the organizers as well.
She responded to this publicity stunt by posting in response on the Twitter feed a photo of her waving to the crowd after her victory at Wimbledon in 2013 accompanied by the emoticon of a kiss.
Accustomed to escapades and setbacks, on and off the courts for years, the whimsical Benoit Paire launched a collaboration with the clothing brand Célio a few months ago, which has become his new equipment supplier.
Among the models offered for sale, t-shirts with the many expressions of the person concerned.
From the famous "Santé Marion" to the no less famous "La chatte" in reference to the cries swayed by Paire during a match which showed the incredible luck of his opponent that day.