The three Frenchmen Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Elsa Jacquemot and Luca Van Assche, who were drafted into Wimbledon, tell us how they dealt with their status as “lucky losers”.
France Télévisions – Sports Editorial
Published on 04/07/2024 07:00
Reading time: 3 min Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Elsa Jacquemot and Luca Van Assche. (AFP)
They are called the “lucky losers“, “lucky losers” in French. At each Grand Slam, these players, eliminated in qualifying, then brought back in thanks to the withdrawal of others from the main draw, manage to surprise us. This year, on the English grass, it is the case of the Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Eliminated in the third round of qualifying by Maxime Janvier, the Lyonnais was brought back in, then treated himself to Sebastian Korda, seeded number 20, on Tuesday. Just that. He faces the Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka on Thursday, July 4.
In classic tournaments, the ranking of lucky losers is established according to the ATP and WTA rankings among those eliminated in the third round of qualifying. For the Grand Slams, it is different, it is a draw which is carried out and which determines the position of the lucky losers.
“I wasn’t nervous, it was my first time here at Wimbledonhe explained after his victory. I just thought I had to enjoy the moment, enjoy playing. I just thought, ‘Here we go.'” Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard was lucky: he was notified two days before he entered the main draw against Sebastian Korda.
This was not the case for Frenchwoman Elsa Jacquemot, who was almost ready to return to France. The 21-year-old player explained to us: “I had nevertheless registered this week for a tournament on clay, in Montpellier, in France, because if I lost in qualifying, I knew that I would continue with this tournament.” The Lyonnaise was eliminated by Olivia Gadecki in the third round of qualifying (7-5, 4-6, 6-3).
After learning that she was in fourth place in the lucky losersshe had to make a choice between the Montpellier tournament and staying in London, hoping that there would be enough withdrawals: “Four girls had to drop out for me to get in. You know that if you choose to be a lucky loser like I did, you have no guarantee of getting in. It depends on the girls who are in the draw. But it’s a Grand Slam, you can’t neglect it. You take the time to think.“And it was finally Victoria Azarenka’s withdrawal that gave her a place in the main draw.
“When I went there, I said to myself: ‘It’s destiny’ and I know that especially with women anything can happen.”
Elsa Jacquemot
to Franceinfo: sport
Except that the young woman learns that she is indeed going to play, barely an hour before the supposed start of her match, while there was already a round on the match scheduled before hers: “The judge calls me and asks me if I’m ready and if I’m here. She tells me: ‘There’s already a set on your court, you play right after.“And there, Elsa Jacquemot concedes: “Emotionally, it’s very hard. There’s a side where I’m really happy, but on the other hand you’re on the court in 30-40 minutes, you have to warm up, prepare yourself, you say to yourself: ‘I have another chance to perform,’ but psychologically I wasn’t ready to play either.“She was eliminated by Sloane Stephens (6-3, 6-3).
Luca Van Assche, 20, is the third Frenchman to have been able to benefit from an abandonment.I knew I had a chance of getting in, I was second and there were quite a few players who were quite uncertain.“Corentin Moutet’s withdrawal from the general draw quickly allowed him to take first place lucky loser. And it was finally that of the German Dominik Koepfer which allowed him to enter the main table.It’s true that these are not easy days. It’s a bit strange because on the one hand you’re preparing for a tournament, but you’re not sure if you’ll play it. I find out on Sunday at 6pm that I’m playing Fabio Fognini the next day at 11am. There’s not much time to prepare.“He too was finally eliminated by the Italian in three sets (6-1, 6-3, 7-5).
And what a status of luky loser offers players a special but irrefutable second chance in a Grand Slam tournament, it is quite another story to miss a round. An opportunity seized, already, by the young Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard who dreams of continuing his London adventure.
2024-07-04 05:00:01
#managing #emotions #desire #seize #chance #minds #lucky #losers
