Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic lying on the court, one glued to the other. Then pretending not to want to let go a few minutes after their double victorious synonymous of triumph in the finals of the Fed Cup 2019. The first head on the shoulder of the second, in tears, during the Marseillaise, then in arms one on the other: one would have almost rubbed one's eyes to believe so many such images seemed unimaginable even a year ago.
An incredible dream come true ❤️💪🏻 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD 🇫🇷 Corinne Dubreuil / FFT pic.twitter.com/arn4kEUsFO
Because when Julien Benneteau, just donned the costume of captain, surprises by selecting Garcia late January for the first round in Belgium, his business is still far from successful.
At that time, the French number 1 has not set foot in the French team since late 2016 and the defeat in the final against the Czech Republic, double decisive, Strasbourg.
Her decision to focus on her individual career goes badly with her teammates. And the scramble sharpens when his package for the barrage against Spain in spring 2017, for which Yannick Noah had still called, is greeted by a triple "LOL" signed Mladenovic, his former double partner, Alizé Cornet and Pauline Parmentier on Twitter. Their way to question the reality of Garcia's injury.
"It's up to them, between them, to settle this"
"The worst moment of my career" and "the feeling that there is more confidence," confide the main interested in an interview with the team.
For Benneteau nonetheless, which Pauline Parmentier praises the franchise and sensitivity, the choice is obvious: "It was inconceivable not to select," he says, because "I had to select the best possible team" .
When we try to find out if she will accept the invitation, things are much less clear. "She knows she's selected," he just repeats. "And assured that the girls are waiting for her return and that the staff will do everything to make her feel good," he adds.
"There was, in my opinion, an apology for some things that happened or were said especially, and then it's up to them to sort it out," he says simply.
Garcia's answer falls three days later: "Appointment to Liege, proud and happy to defend the colors of France," she tweets. The broken link is renewed.
In Belgium, if Garcia expects a "first contact cold", the reunion "went well" and the whole team met because it was "important to return to the past," says the captain tricolor.
On the court, the return in Bleu de la Lyonnaise, victorious of his two singles (against Van Uytvanck and Mertens), is ideal.
"It gives chills to the Marseillaise I was very happy to find this atmosphere," she rejoices after his first match.
"We played for each other"
If the Blues get the Belgians 3-0, all is not gained for Benneteau. Because Garcia leaves the doubt on the rest of his tri-color adventure.
Will she take part in the semi-final against Simona Halep's Romania? "I have not really asked myself the question, we are not going to look at a meeting in months," she says.
The fog clears up in early April, when Benneteau, "no more worried than that" and who "let things happen", reveals his selection to receive Halep and his partners on the clay of Rouen and says that Garcia "has everything immediately answered: 'It's important for me, I'm coming' ", when he announced his decision over the phone.
An additional course is crossed in the merger between Garcia and Mladenovic when the captain associates them, successfully (5-7, 6-3, 6-4 against Halep and Nicolescu), for the double decisive and that they send the Blue ones in final in Australia.
"We were not quite together at times, but we played for each other, we really helped a lot," said Garcia.
The scene was repeated Sunday, this time against Barty and Samantha Stosur, but with the same success (6-4, 6-3).
"We do not need to be the best friends in the world to form a team," Garcia philosophized earlier this year. On the blue court of Perth, one would swear they looked almost like it.
With AFP