Paris (AFP)
The victory of the team of France in Fed Cup Sunday in Australia, "it is that of great sportsmen but also great ladies", greeted Tuesday Emmanuel Macron receiving at the Elysée the French players.
Kristina Mladenovic, Caroline Garcia and others, who brought a third Cup to France after the successes of 1997 and 2003, beating Australia's World No.1 in singles Ashleigh Barty in Perth (3-2), have to show "fortitude" that makes them "remarkable women", said the head of state.
"You were able to get together, form a team, ease misunderstandings, re-establish links" to win "this collective victory," said the president to the players and their captain Julien Benneteau, in a speech of about 15 minutes in the Council Chamber.
"In recent years, sometimes, we have had the feeling that in tennis, things were often written in advance, that the choreography was perfectly oiled, that there were Nadal, Federer, Williams, etc. And there, in this case, nothing was written, "said Emmanuel Macron.
Benneteau, who injured his left foot Sunday night celebrating the French victory, said he was "very proud" of his players, five women who "have done so much to get there."
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