In a Halle Vacheresse almost two-thirds full, Mattéo Martineau (204th) and Benjamin Bonzi (176th) delighted from the first exchanges. Which offered spectators a particularly competitive and high-quality first round, with more winning points than direct errors on both sides of the net.
In difficulty on his serve and trailing 5-4, Mattéo Martineau managed to erase five set points with the support of the public, before managing to equalize at 5-5. Benjamin Bonzi did not release the pressure, and at 6-5, obtained three new set points, without further success. The ninth was the good one, on two consecutive faults from Mattéo Martineau, too greedy in his cushioning game (7-5).
On his momentum, Benjamin Bonzi started the second round by breaking Mattéo Martineau from the start. The latter, visibly more tired than his opponent by the efforts made throughout the week, was unable to come back. Benjamin Bonzi took his opponent’s service again to lead 5-1, in a one-sided second set.
On his first match point, Benjamin Bonzi concluded the proceedings, winning 7-5, 6-1 in less than 1 hour 20 minutes. “I am very happy with my level of play throughout the week. The conditions suited me in this very beautiful room and I had a lot of fun”, commented the winner of the 3rd edition of the Open Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes de Roanne.
A 2025 edition in Challenger 125?
Before the final of the tournament, the organizers had drawn up a very positive initial assessment of this third edition, the first under the direction of a new team and at the Halle Vacheresse. “It’s a success and we are very ambitious for the years to come,” said Samir Boudjemma, general director of TV Sport Events. To the point of imagining a 4th edition stamped Challenger 125, a graduation which would make it possible to attract even better ranked players. “I will be present next year to develop this tournament which has a bright future,” said Sébastien Grosjean, tournament director.
It remains to convince communities and partners to increase the financial envelope to enable such an organization. Answer probably at the beginning of 2025.
17,000 spectators during this 3rd edition
The organizers revealed the attendance figures for the tournament at the end of the final this Sunday. If the Halle Vacheresse may have seemed empty, it is also because of its large capacity. And it must be remembered that tournaments at this level very often take place in front of only a few hundred supporters.
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