The Robert Abdesselam Trophy returns to France

The 10th edition of the Robert Abdesselam Trophy took place from 21-23 August and brought together four international teams — Spain, Belgium, Great Britain, and France — for a competition featuring one Women’s Doubles, one Men’s Doubles, and two Mixed Doubles per match.

The French team prepared with great professionalism, with some high-altitude training in the Vercors Mountains. There, the players enjoyed scenic hikes through historic forest trails, breathtaking views over Grenoble, and, most importantly, an intensive tennis camp led by their long-time coach, Bruno Delorme, at the Villard-de-Lans Tennis Club. Off the courts, the group took time to share meals and test their culinary skills, further strengthening team spirit and camaraderie.

On arrival in Avignon, the competitors faced stormy weather. The French delegation managed a short training session on the superb courts of TC Montolivet before heavy rain rendered the grounds unplayable. The club’s President, Jean-Pierre Azam, and his wife Gisèle extended a warm welcome to all participants, their passion and dedication keeping the Avignon club thriving.

Due to the weather, the opening matches were held indoors on a single court instead of the planned four outdoor ones. Consequently, the format was shortened to a single set of six games with a tie-break at 6-6. France started the tournament strongly, defeating Great Britain — a new permanent participant in this long-standing competition — by 4–0 in the morning session. Spain then overcame Belgium in the afternoon.

The following day saw the return of sunshine, allowing play to resume outdoors for the France–Belgium encounter. Despite gusty conditions, France prevailed 3–1. In the afternoon, players and guests enjoyed a guided cultural visit to the Chartreuse de Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, a monastic complex renowned for its austere order and beautiful architecture.

The evening’s social programme featured a warm reception hosted by Odile de Roubin in her elegant family residence, where players gathered for an aperitif before the official dinner — a highlight of the event’s convivial atmosphere.

The final day brought the much-anticipated showdown between France and Spain. The French team were eager to reclaim the Robert Abdesselam Trophy, which had been in Spanish hands since the 2023 edition in Madrid.

The opening women’s doubles match proved challenging: Spain’s pair, Pauline Rodriguez (a former French player ranked no. 15) and Noelia Perez Penate (former WTA no. 121), showed their experience, while France’s Isabelle Billard-Delage sustained an early injury. Fortunately, the French men responded with a narrow win, leaving the teams level at one match apiece.

It was therefore down to the two mixed doubles to decide the title (and avoid a super tie-break in the event of two tied teams after all the matches). The French pairs — Chantal Grimal & Alain Moracchini, and MarieDo Larras & Nicolas Fourcade — made an excellent start, taking their first sets 6–1 and 6–0 respectively. Grimal and Moracchini secured their victory swiftly, while Larras and Fourcade were pushed into a deciding tie-break after their Spanish opponents, Noelia Perez Penate and Fernando Gomes de Segura, fought back to win the second set 6–4. The final tie-break was a thrilling affair, keeping spectators — including loyal French supporters Pascale and Christine — on edge. In the end, the French pair held their nerve to win 11–9, sealing overall victory for France.

The Robert Abdesselam Trophy thus returned to France, to the delight of players, organisers, and supporters alike — a fitting conclusion to three days of high-level tennis, sportsmanship, and international friendship.

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Hurricane Refugees Enjoy Tennis Clinic

As part of The North American IC Rod Laver Junior Challenge in The Bahamas, 25 kids who are refugees from Hurricane Dorian enjoyed a tennis clinic run by coaches and the junior players participating in the Junior Challenge.

In September, Hurricane Dorian devastated two northern Islands of The Bahamas and for almost two months the kids in the clinic have been living in temporary accommodation on the capital island in Nassau.

On the second day of the Junior Challenge, 25 refugee kids were brought to The National Tennis Centre where the coaches and juniors were initially organised in to four groups. There were juniors from each country put in to every group which also helped them get to know each other. Over the next two hours the refugee kids then rotated through the groups in a series of different fun drills which they enjoyed.

At the end they were split in to groups to have a volleying match with soft balls across a tennis court. The juniors in The Junior Challenge went behind and to the side of the refugee kids to help keep the rallies going. There was much laughter and everyone enjoyed the whole event.

Before the kids left they were given small gifts and a tennis ball so they could hopefully continue some of the fun games they had back at their temporary homes.

Overall it was a great success and a superb experience for both the refugee kids and the juniors from The Junior Challenge. Perry Newton, the BLTA Head of Junior Development was also involved and is looking in to ways of continuing future clinics for these unfortunate refugee kids.

It was a good example of the IC Philosophy of "Hands across the net, friendship across the ocean" as the kids had crossed the Bahamas seas to come from their devastated island to the main Bahamas Island where they are currently living. The Philanthropy Clinic also helped the Juniors in the Challenge appreciate their own good fortune and it provided a lesson in "Giving back".