the essential
Outdoor tennis tournaments are always dependent on the sky. The ATM and the volunteers have known this more than anyone for two days. The opportunity for an express adaptation, but mastered by an entire club.
We’re going to get to know the June showers. If this Thursday, the matches of the 30th Montauban Open were brought indoors due to downpours, it was outdoors that the first quarter-final began this Friday morning, as if nothing had happened. It was, under a mild sky. Except that over time, the sky begins to darken. Arthur Reymond won the first set in the tie-break, but he had barely lost the second when the clouds began to pour down torrents of water onto the central court, which transformed into a real lake in just a few minutes. No tarpaulin in Montauban; They wouldn’t have been useful anyway. In these cases, there are not too many questions to ask, the last set will take place indoors, in different conditions, with a livelier ball, and a much faster court.
A fairly well-established ballet
The players wait until everything is ready; everyone then runs in all directions to get everything ready. The ballet is finally well established, it is simply necessary to urgently contact members of court maintenance so that the waiting time is as short as possible for everyone. The calm of the players contrasts with the excitement of the organization. Event supervisor Philippe Gros then took charge, alongside ATM president Michel Orliac. Michel Olivé and his entire technical team then prepare two indoor fields so that the program can resume: passage of the grid, smoothing of the lines, a little jet, and now the fields are ready to welcome the players, but also the spectators since chairs are installed on the court next door. In a little over half an hour, everything was set. The 30th Montauban Open can continue…
