An Over-Valued French Open

The 2nd French Open was my last warm up tournament before the London Paralympics Games.  Since it was only 20-factor, I did not expect too much from it.  The most important was its relatively cheaper entry fee of 450 Euros.

Unexpectedly the French Open was a very high standard competition.  With its good organization, the competition ran very smoothly and systematically in those three days.     Organizing Committee’s Chairman, GillesAs the Organizing Committee’s Chairman, Gilles, was an ex-player, he understood well what players needed.  Take for an example, he let players have the change of souvenir T-shirt if it was not his/her right size.  Most OC would not do this such a way that we would bring an unfit souvenir T-shirt back home.  In addition, warm up was a crucial element for all players before the start of competition.  The OC availed nearly twenty warm up tables for us in another hall for practising.

Apart from the very comfortable and accessible hotel, OC had very good transport arrangement.  With its over ten small vans and one big bus which could cater wheelchair, we encountered no problem in going to the venue and back to the hotel.  The OC also arranged special transport in the mid of the day to send those player back to hotel when they had no match in the afternoon.  Furthermore, they got very professional umpire to uphold the competition standard.  Besides, they provided a very luxurious farewell party to all players before we left France.  The drawbacks I needed to pinpoint would be the French food which not suited my taste and most French did not know English which made communication difficult.

Fortunately I captured two medals in the tournaments because the large medal was extraordinarily beautiful.

The last words to Gilles, ”Congratulations to your successful tournament!”