Toulouse. Déroulède and Bin Yusuf won everything
“Since I started playing in a wheelchair, I have to admit that I enjoy the game more and more on clay (smile).” A week after obtaining her first ITF singles title, on hard at Montfermeil, Pauline Déroulède (42nd in the world) did it yesterday, this time on the ocher surface of the Balma League center (ITF Future Series, $ 3,500 ). And as in Seine-Saint-Denis, the Frenchwoman was also crowned in doubles (alongside the Spaniard Lola Ochoa).
Seeded N.4 (in a table of fourteen players), the Parisian hit hard in the last four, dominating in two sets her compatriot Zoé Maras (N.2, 35th; 6-0, 6-1) in the half , then the Briton Cornelia Oosthuizen (N.1, 25th; 6-3, 6-3). “I clearly came to win this tournament. Facing and beating opponents of this level always allows me to continue my progress and to build up confidence. I am living a qualification for the Paralympic Games in Paris 2024. But I have well aware that the road is still long to reach my goal “, underlined the Parisian who will continue, this week, her tour in the Hexagon with a stopover in Orléans, on hard, for the Open du Loiret (ITF 3 Series , $ 14,000).
100% Malaysian duel
Among men, Malaysia was honored with the singles and doubles titles of Mohamad Yusshazwan Bin Yusuf (seed N.6, 71st worldwide). For the anecdote, in individual, he retained in the final his compatriot Abu Samah Borhan (N.2, 38th world), before a success shared in doubles. “But in our confrontations, Abu Samah keeps the advantage (laughs),” said the Kuala Lumpur player, whose singles record now has three titles (after those obtained in 2015 and 2017).
On Balman soil, he had created a surprise from the quarters by leaving the Austrian Nico Langmann, bib No. 1 (21st) in three sets. Identical scenario in the half against the Spaniard Francesc Tur (N.3, 44th).
To complete the list, in the mixed category of quads (players with functional impairment of the lower and upper limbs), the Briton Gregory Slade (38th world) also won everything at Balma. In doubles, he was associated with Sweden’s Petter Edstrom.