Among the world elite of women's tennis, the French number one is the only player to have invested in a WTA 250 tournament. Originally from Lyon, the 5th player thus bought back in 2020 the date of the former tournament in Tashkent (Uzbekistan ) endowed with $250,000 in prize money, and delegated the organization to the team of its agent Pascal Biojout.
"
It's unusual for an active player to invest in an event but for me it's a tremendous source of pride,
she confirmed in 2020.
The territory has brought me a lot and tennis brings me a lot.
I wanted to share this passion.
It's something that was close to my heart, me and my father
(Louis-Paul).
At first, it was a really distant idea before I invested in acquiring a date.
I thought I would do it at the end of my career, but there are opportunities that you have to know how to seize, and the fact of still being active will allow me to live things to the fullest
”.
With the idea also of offering a high-level women's tennis tournament in France, in order to somehow replace the Open Gaz de France, which disappeared in 2015, of which Amélie Mauresmo had been co-director.
Besides Roland-Garros, there are many elite competitions for men (the Masters 1000 at Bercy, the ATP 250 at Montpellier, Marseille, Lyon and Lyon, etc.), but there are not many for women.
If Caroline Garcia obviously doesn't have the time to invest in the organization of the 6th sense open, she helped the event under the covid era.
“
She fought in 2021 for the tournament to take place despite the announced absence of an audience
(restrictions linked to covid obliges)
and above all hospitality recipes,
confided to us then Pascal Biojout.
Also despite the decision of the mayor of Lyon, mid-January to switch from the Palais des Sports de Gerland, which has become a screening and vaccination center, to the Halle Tony Garnier
”.
Read alsoHow French tournaments manage to “survive” in times of Covid-19
The beginnings of this event were therefore chaotic due to the covid19 which impacted the second edition.
And the last one took place when the war broke out in Ukraine… In 2023, all the lights are green.
For its 4th edition within the framework of the mythical Palais des Sports de Gerland, the tournament is back to normal configuration and has chosen a change of date, positioning itself four weeks earlier in the season.
To avoid competition from wealthy Gulf tournaments (Dubai and Doha) and to attract players beaten prematurely at the Australian Open, wishing to get back on the circuit.
The Chinese, Shuai Zhang (34), 22nd in the world and defending champion, will also be one of the headliners with the former world number one Garbine Muguruza.
"
On a WTA250, it is very rare to see that all the players selected for the final table
(excluding invitations and qualified)
are in the world Top 100.
It is one of the most impressive tables in history for this category of event
”, rejoiced in the columns of
Progrè
s Pascal Biojout,
Read alsoAustralian Open: Caroline Garcia, a label too heavy to bear
Beyond the symbolic importance of this tournament, it is also an opportunity for the winner of the Masters to revive after a failed Australian Open.
She seemed to have the weapons and the potential to go all the way but her journey stopped in the round of 16, stopped by the Polish Magda Linette (45th) (7-6, 6-4).
"
The Australian Open didn't quite go as planned,
" she confirmed to
RMC
last weekend.
It was hard to digest.
It was a complicated tournament (…) I had expectations, maybe I was too obsessed with it.
You have to learn from this experience, see what I can do better for the next tournaments.
»
It started with her tournament, which she has not yet won: "
It's a little different pressure, you want to do well for the public, to get the title for you and all those who support, it's a good challenge.
It's one of my dreams to win at Lyon.
What would be the best promotion for this rising tournament.
