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Tom Hamilton, Senior Author
PARIS — When Lucas Feron, 28, entered onto Courtroom Philippe Chatrier on the French Open, throughout Aryna Sabalenka‘s match in opposition to Paula Badosa, the second introduced his life full circle. “He is right here as a result of he has earned it,” Jean-Patrick Reydellet, the chief of officers at Roland Garros, mentioned.
Feron has been right here earlier than, a key determine within the officiating staff at Roland Garros as a part of the ladies’s 2018 closing, and males’s in 2021. He was there on the baseline, monitoring each rotation of the ball. He was going to present it his all till the Paris Olympics, spending 35 weekends a yr honing his craft. Then, in November 2022, he was sufferer to a brutal assault and has been in a wheelchair ever since.
However just below two years later, he is again on the present courts, doing what he loves greater than something. “I wish to be an inspiration for everybody,” Feron advised ESPN.
Feron has all the time beloved tennis. He used to play the game, however then he gave umpiring a go when he was 14 years outdated. He progressed via the badges, incomes the highest umpiring qualification in 2021 — the worldwide white badge for officiating. He was a daily on the circuit, as a line choose on the Monte Carlo Masters, on the Paris Masters and at Roland Garros.
However then got here that evening on Nov. 20, 2022. He was attacked in Poitiers — a metropolis about 340 kilometers to the southwest of Paris. The violence put him in a coma for a month, and affected his neurological talents. “It’s too painful; I do not wish to discuss it,” Feron mentioned. “I favor to not and go away it behind.”
He spent a yr in a rehabilitation middle in Nantes — with relentless physiotherapy and speech teaching. After a yr there, he moved again in together with his household in Les Sables d’Olonne. And all through the rehab, he held on to this dream of returning to what he beloved doing.
“I all the time hoped to be concerned with tennis once more,” he mentioned.
All of the whereas, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) stored involved with him. They invited him to Yannick Noah Day, a day of charity matches at Roland Garros — to see how he would fare. “He fought, however he could not work final yr,” Reydellet mentioned. “However when he noticed it, it was an enormous enchancment to achieve for … it was an excellent coaching.”
This yr, he was again on the circuit a little bit extra, at a event in Poitiers and at a Bordeaux Challenger occasion, and his scores earned him one other shot at being a line choose at Roland Garros. (Line judges are scored on “good approach, good voice, good picture and good name,” Reydellet mentioned.)
“I did an excellent event, and I improved my eyes to see the ball,” Feron mentioned. “I had eye contact on the ball. The factor that’s lacking is the voice, as a result of I must name out loud and clear. I haven’t got this stage of voice to name the balls.”
Whereas his voice carried in Bordeaux, the noise of Chatrier drowned him out. So at Roland Garros, he wears a microphone. Any name is then transmitted from the microphone on his sweater’s lapel straight to the umpire.
He began on the surface courts at Roland Garros, however after good marks, he progressed to the third present court docket on Simone Mathieu. He mentioned the journey there from the opposite facet of the grounds is “good train.” Then got here his return to Chatrier on Saturday for Sabalenka’s win. He was additionally there as a part of the staff for Novak Djokovic‘s early-morning match with Lorenzo Musetti.
Reydellet mentioned Feron hasn’t misplaced any of his instincts and talent to make the sharpest of calls. Feron interrupted him. “All officers can all the time hold bettering.” Feron was a part of the staff that presided over the combined doubles closing Thursday on Chatrier, however he nonetheless goals of constructing the staff for the ladies’s or males’s singles closing. “I hope so, nevertheless it’s not my determination,” he mentioned.
He has already caught a couple of followers this event. Djokovic noticed a tweet about him earlier within the event and shared his help.
Thursday, when Feron spoke to ESPN, his face lit up as he noticed the suggestions from Djokovic. “Ah sure! It is rather cool, very cool. I didn’t know this data.” However then got here the clarification: “I can not let you know if he is an efficient participant or not — as a result of I’m an official.”
