the essential
It’s a bit of a must when you arrive at Le Ramier. Everyone goes through reception during the tournament. He is a bit like the nerve center of the entire organization. And inevitably you risk running into Caroline, or Mado.
They don’t yet have any golden keys hanging on their fully recognizable blue volunteer t-shirts, but there is no doubt that they could have some, as Caroline and Mado are there to try to solve all the problems, whatever they may be. ‘they are. For 30 years, the beginning of the open, they have been faithful to the position. For 30 years, they have managed almost everything with a smile. In a notebook, Mado writes everything she must not forget. And we guarantee that the notebook fills up quickly, from the most insignificant information to the most important. And count on her not to let anything slip through. “The tournament is noted. For the moment, we only have excellent feedback, it must continue,” note the two women with a broad smile. The players and their staff never hesitate to take a little tour: the reception is a bit like the marshalling yard, where everything is played out. “We try to have the answer to everything. It’s not always easy, but over the years we know how to react,” explains Mado, before interrupting himself to answer the phone, on the direct line given to everyone. This time it’s not important. But sometimes there is an emergency, like this day when a toothache requires you to find a dentist very quickly. This is what will be done to allow the player to be relieved as quickly as possible, not like Kyllian MBppe, but almost. For 30 years, it is the passion that has driven the two women. If Caroline is still a more than active member of the ATM (she is also a player), Mado has taken a little more step back, but count on her to be present every season, in June: “It’s stuck in my schedule (smile). »
A seed on the mat
Priority was given this Tuesday to the doubles, which can often pose some problems at the end of the week, especially if the weather conditions get involved. Seven matches in the first round took place in the heat of Le Ramier. Three seeded players played this Tuesday: if Laurent Lokoli (4) had no problem getting rid of Tiago Pires (6/3, 6/1), that was not the case for Axel Garcian ( 8) who bit the dust at the start against the Swiss Johan Nikles (6/3, 6/4); for his part, Maxence Rivet (7) brought down the Italian Filippo Romano in two sets (7/6, 6/1). Other results. F. Giovannini-M. Epee (7/6, 6/4), N. Colne-S. Reveniau (7/6, 6/3), W. Mayew-R. Ceccon (3/6, 6/0, 6/1), B. Pietri-A. Cohen (7/5, 6/3).
Early in the morning, until late in the evening…
At reception, they are not alone since several people take turns: “We are there from the beginning of the morning until the end of the matches. Monday evening, it ended around 10 p.m., someone needed, someone always needs. You never know what might happen. » It’s up to them to manage the players’ transport from the airport to Ramier, and to the hotel. When the players want to train, they come to the reception to pick up the balls, when they have to laundry to be washed is also where they take it, the same when the referees collect the match towels provided to the players by the organization, need the physiotherapist associated with the event? The reception has its own number. The reception also manages the reception of members who wish to play even during the tournament (on two courts, indoors, while it is prohibited to play padel for noise reasons since the two padel courts are located in the middle of the other courts)… Caroline, Mado, and their colleagues are the cornerstones of the tournament. But it sometimes happens that they do not have the answer to everything: “When it is too important, we address the request to the supervisor Philippe Gros, or to the president of the ATM Michel Orliac. »
