On the Philippe-Chatrier central court at Roland-Garros, you couldn’t be late. In the quarter-finals of the men’s singles, Frenchman Stéphane Houdet, world number 7, quickly lost to the best Spanish player in his category, Martin de la Puente, world number 3 (6-2, 4-6, 6-1). The French flag-bearer at the Tokyo Games said goodbye to his dream of an individual gold medal at the Paralympics, he who was a winner in doubles three times (2008, 2016 and 2020).
An excited audience
In a one-sided first set, Stéphane Houdet struggled to exist in the face of the repeated attacks of his opponent of the day. During the second set, the winner of four Grand Slam tournaments showed character by pushing the Spaniard to his limits, before finally logically losing in the third set. But beyond the disappointment, the former French world number 1 was able to observe the “Houdet mania” that seemed to invade the alleys of Roland-Garros: with each successful point, massive applause, repeated “olé” and, to the great displeasure of Martin de la Puente, a stadium entirely won over to the cause of the Frenchman.
In return, the fans were well served. If the salt and pepper hair is anything to go by, the most decorated French man in his category of wheelchair tennis seems inexhaustible. The Games are like a rejuvenation cure, which he seems to want to enjoy until the end. By communicating with the large crowd, by regularly communing with his fans, Stéphane Houdet had fun, like a kid. Defeat obliges, he broke the rule instituted since the beginning of the tournament by not having any of his young children come on his knees to grant himself a last individual lap of the stadium, but was content to greet a crowd that had pushed him to the end.
Noah – Houdet, a duo of serious kids
“Come on Stéphane, come on Stéphane!”launched Yannick Noah, present in the stands. Behind the coach and expert in the discipline, the artist Noah was never far away. It is also a relationship of friends that binds the two protagonists, as the singer and ex-tennis player recently testified in La Croix L’Hebdo: “The day after the Tokyo Games, Stéphane called me and said: ‘You’ve experienced everything as a player, you’ve managed men, women, but if you’re a real madman, you have to come and help us’.” The tone and mood of the message pleased the tennis legend. Between them, the same aspiration, that of taking full advantage of the time they are given.
Was this the last time we saw Stéphane Houdet in singles at the Paralympic Games? No one knows, not even him. “When I no longer enjoy it, I will stop, but as long as the desire is there, I look to the next move.”confides the person concerned. “When Rafael Nadal steps onto the court at Roland Garros, he must be the only one who doesn’t know how many times he’s won here. He’s always looking to the future, that’s what it means to be a champion.”. “We’ll have time later to take a look in the rearview mirror, he slips. Knowing that we are only passing through. Who will remember us in a hundred years? In the meantime, he is enjoying the present time. Besides, for him, the Paris Games are not quite over. Alongside the very experienced Frédéric Cattanéo, he will play his doubles semi-final on Wednesday evening, in the hope of adding a little more to his incredible list of achievements.
