Tennis: The director of the Bordeaux tournament dreams of welcoming Nadal

Injured in a hip since the Australian Open in January, Rafael Nadal announced on Friday that he will also not participate in the Rome tournament next week, the last of three Masters 1000 on clay before Roland-Garros scheduled. in three weeks. Invited this Friday on franceinfo, Jean-Baptiste Perlant, director of the second division tournament “BNP Paribas Primrose Bordeaux” and director of the villa Primrose confides that “that would be amazing” to have Rafael Nadal this year. The director is aware that the tennis player “needs victories, confidence” and that he could therefore well participate in his tournament this year.

franceinfo: We imagine that your dream is to welcome Rafael Nadal?

Jean-Baptiste Perlant: Many tell me about it, why not Rafael Nadal this year? It’s true that he needs matches with Roland Garros. He needs confidence wins. We must not ignite, it is not done yet but why not this year? I have had no contact with him. For us, it would be extraordinary but I don’t have a single place to sell, given the headliners and the great line-up we have so I don’t know if it would be a very nice gift to bring Rafael Nadal. It’s something you can’t refuse, but it would be a riot. Everyone would like to see Rafael Nadal. We cross fingers. The draw will be on Saturday May 13 in the evening, so until Saturday 13 we can receive requests from players for invitations, these are “wild cards”.

Would it cost you anything to bring Rafael Nadal to your tournament?

In principle, yes. Bringing Rafael Nadal to a tournament, in terms of image and enthusiasm behind the tournament, is something extraordinary. There would therefore be repercussions and that is necessarily negotiated. There, in principle, it would be more him who would be in need of matches and in demand to participate in the tournament. So I think the simple fact that we invite him and offer him one of our “wild cards”, I think he would already be satisfied. I don’t think he’s being too greedy or asking for anything other than an invitation to play.

Three weeks before Roland Garros, are you worried about Rafael Nadal?

It’s true that in principle it’s impossible to win Roland Garros without having made preparation matches before, but with him nothing is impossible. But it’s true that he’s 37, he hasn’t played since January, his body seems quite tired and sore. These are matches in five sets. I very much admire this player but I think that would be a step that would be too high.