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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IC SA AND ETHIOPIA SET FOR FINAL DAY SHOW DOWN.

After both IC SA and Ethiopia comfortably won their second day matches, they will meet in tomorrows final with both teams unbeaten after two matches. 

IC SA proved far too strong for the TSA Development team where only one match showed any real resistance from the Development team. In the battle between the two top girls IC SA’s Christine Kruger suffered a loss of confidence in the second set but with the pro set tie break left to decide the winner, Christine regained her composure and found her range to drop just a single point in the tie break to run out a 62 36 10 1 winner. 

In the other matches the Development team was never really in contention with the hosts conceding just six games over the five matches. It has been a steep learning curve for the Development players but the more they are exposed to this level of tennis, the quicker they will learn to adapt to more competitive tournament play.

It was a similar situation when Ethiopia came up against Botswana with just one match providing some excitement and a closely fought encounter. Their second boy Yosph Gezhafe showed tremendous fighting qualities to recover from the loss of the first set 16 to come out on top in a closely fought second set which was only secured 74 in the resultant tie break, and then held his nerve to take the deciding tie break 10 7. In the other five matches, Ethiopia dropped just nine games.

So a fitting end to the event with the two strongest teams going toe to toe to decide the winner. Ethiopia will be hoping to burst the IC SA teams bubble which has proved too solid in all previous qualifying events for the right to represent the continent at the world wide finals.

A Development clinic was held during the day with children from the four local Townships taking part in both the red ball training and full court training. Ages ranged from 7 to 13 and the coaching was enhanced with the participation of the coaches of both the IC SA and TSA Development team taking a part as well some of the players,

Full results of the days play are;

Ethiopia beat Botswana by 6 matches to nil.

BOYS SINGLES

O. Gemeda beat Seabo Shakshando 64 61 

Y Gezhafe beat A Bleskirk 16 76 (4) 10 7.

GIRLS SINGLES

M Adone beat L Poely 62 61

S Kasaune beat A Chongwe 60 60

BOYS DOUBLES

Ethiopia beat Botswana 60 61

GIRLS SINGLES 

Ethiopia beat Botswana 60 60.

IC SA beat TSA Development by 6 matches to nil

BOYS SINGLES

C Roothman beat T Chiloane 62 61

M Woodman beat M Masombuka 60 61

GIRS SINGLES

C Kruger beat A Makoala 62 36 10 1

N Manybi beat C Mogale 60 60

BOYS DOUBLES

IC SA beat TSA Development 60 61

GIRLS DOUBLES

IC SA beat TSA Development 60 61.