On the central court, the players work on the backhand, the forehand, the service. And behind the scenes of the Palais des Sports in Orléans, the little hands are busy. The 17th edition of the Tennis Open begins this Monday, September 26. And everything must be ready to welcome Richard Gasquet, Hugo Gaston, Nicolas Mahut and all the other players invited to the tournament. Samuel takes care of the stringing of the rackets: “That’s a lot of work indeed! You have to follow the instructions of the players. But it’s great, I am first and foremost a tennis fan. Living the tournament from the inside is exciting. It has to last !”
– Arnaud Roszak
A very hazy future
Last June, the metropolis of Orléans decided to withdraw its subsidy of 100,000 euros for the tournament. Since then, several leads have been on the table. “Whether to go to CO’Met (the new complex of the Metropolis), I will go without worry“explains Thierry, a member of the organization of the Open since its creation in 2005.”This tournament must survive, it has managed to retain“he adds.
– Arnaud Roszak
One thing is (almost) certain: this 2022 edition will be the last at the Palais des Sports in Orléans. “Never say neverexplains the director of the tournament Didier Gérard. But today, I don’t see how we can continue in this enclosure built fifty years ago. You have to stop pulling on the rope. I hope that the future will tell us quickly if the Open moves to CO’Met, which would be desirable for all the inhabitants of the Metropolis.” Relocate the tournament to another city is an option that is always possible, specifies the director.