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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Update from IC Croatia - June 2021

The IC of Croatia, formed in 2019, became the 42nd IC of the World. Like all clubs around the world, it has been hugely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, but 2020 has also brought other unfortunate and challenging circumstances.

On December 29th 2020, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck near Petrinja, Croatia, about 30 miles southeast of the capital of Zagreb. This is the largest earthquake to occur in Croatia since the advent of modern seismic instruments. The epicentre was 4 miles north of Zagreb, 6 miles above the centre of the 5.3-magnitude earthquake, which was followed by a number of smaller tremors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JimrD-wO4zE

The quake caused widespread damage, including to the city’s cathedral, and the evacuation of hospitals. Many buildings in the capital cracked and walls and rooftops were damaged. Streets were littered with debris. Concrete slabs fell on cars and chimneys landed in front of building entrances.

We had two parallel crises that contradict each other, the situation was complicated by the virus-related measures. "There are rules for when there is an earthquake, but when there is an earthquake at the same time when there is a global pandemic then it’s a much more complex situation." While social distancing regulations were in place, much of the population were pushed out on the streets together after the earthquake shook the Croatian capital.

Footage showed mothers dressed in nightgowns hugging their newborn babies in a car park in freezing temperatures after a damaged maternity hospital was evacuated. The women and children were moved along with incubators to a new location with the help of the army. The top of one of the two spires of Zagreb’s cathedral collapsed. The structure had been rebuilt after it toppled in an earthquake in 1880. Damage to the parliament building meant sessions would be postponed.

Today, many families are still living in temporary accommodation and the country is still struggling with the aftermath. As an IC Community, we are looking ahead to when Covid measures ease to try to organise an event or fixture with neighbouring ICs and then to participating in future IC weeks. Both will be a momentous occasion given the challenges since the IC was formed. Please do get in touch if you’d be interested in future fixtures of any kind, with IC of Croatia.

President: Predrag Stojcevic Pegi

Email: pegi@btinternet.commailto:pegi@btinternet.com

Honorary Secretary: Silvije Hraste

Email: silvije.hraste@gmail.commailto:silvije.hraste@gmail.com