Never seen before. More than 5,000 people gathered for a meeting of the French Pro A table tennis championship, a record was broken this Tuesday evening, December 17 at the Halle Vacheresse.
And this audience was just waiting to get excited, even before the first exchanges at the ping table. Quickly following the kop, with members, dressed all in blue, coming with drums and megaphones.
Florian Bourrassaud has “never been so happy” in his life
Florian Bourrassaud, the French LNTT player, took advantage of every moment. Arriving on the floor, between the crackling flames, in the smoke, like a boxer to the music of Rockyhood on the head.
Le Creusotin played there for the first time in his life in front of so many people. The angry fist on each of his first points won, carried by the crowd. “You were enormous,” he said on the microphone to the latter. “I have never been so happy in my life, despite the defeat.”
The steamroller Alexis Lebrun
Facing Antoine Hachard, a player ranked higher than him, he logically lost in three sets (11-5, 11-9, 11-7). This does not then prevent the party from continuing, with the arrival of Alexis Lebrun in the spotlight.
During the second meeting of the evening, the table tennis superstar assumes his status in steamroller mode. At the end of a very serious match, he imposed himself true to himself, conquering and ultra-dynamic, ready to pounce on every ball, against the Belgian Florent Lambiet who was unable to do anything (11-5, 11 -7, 11-2).
“It was a blast, I had a lot of fun here. I hope we can do it again next year.”
And the bronze medalist at the last Paris Olympics also appreciated the Roanne atmosphere. “Everyone is having a good time in this room,” he smiles.
It was then up to his little brother Félix to entertain the spectators. Not in competition (he did not appear as a starter on the match sheet), but as a luxury training partner, with a smile on his face, putting on a show at the table during the break between the second and third matches.
“I’m very happy to have participated in this event, even without playing a match. There was a crazy atmosphere, it was incredible.”
This will be the last of the evening. But against Esteban Dorr, Elias Ranefur will have vibrated an increasingly heated Hall.
The Swede’s win of the first set is greeted by a magical “ola” following the rounds of the room. In this match, each point won leads to powerful clamors from the stands.
A magnificent clapping to end the evening in style
The victorious third set ball (allowing Ranefur to lead two to one) arouses widespread euphoria. Unfortunately, the party had to end a little too quickly, with Dorr scoring nine consecutive points at the end of the match, thus achieving a decisive success (final score of the third match: 8-11, 12-10, 11-13, 11 -6, 11-9).
No matter, it ends with a magnificent clapping, concluding in style a memorable evening. This atmosphere in Vacheresse, in recent years, is unheard of.
With the cube, it’s square
The cube hanging from the ceiling of the Halle Vacheresse fulfilled its role perfectly this Tuesday. The match was broadcast live on the screens, and the production offered numerous close-ups and slow motion shots of the most beautiful points of the evening.
