REPORTAGE
A feat far from their bases, and after? In the wake of the French team's victory in the Fed Cup final, in Australia (3-2), on Sunday, several questions arise about the scope of such a victory for French women's tennis. And among them, that of the real level of play of Caroline Garcia, Kristina Mladenovic, Alize Cornet, Pauline Parmentier and Fiona Ferro, the five Blue led by the captain Julien Benneteau in their quest for a third trophy, the first since 2003.
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With this level of play produced this weekend in Perth, on the west coast of Australia, Kristina Mladenovic can legitimately dream much better than the 39th place in the world she occupies Monday morning. This is also what the Norther hopes, she who declares "the quest for titles, great moments, memories ... That's what boosts me."
Garcia and Mladenovic, "still young"
With Caroline Garcia, 45th, they have already been in the top 10 world, without being able to stay there. But this collective victory in Australia can give an individual boost to struggling French women's tennis this season. "They proved it on the court", wants to believe Pierre Chéret, national technical director and boss of the teams of France.
"Kristina Mladenovic has just beaten in Australia, at her home, the world number 1 [Ashleigh Barty, Ed] All is allowed, they are still young [26 years for Mladenovic and Garcia, Ed] so I hope in the years that come, what they have done as a team, they will be able to achieve this performance but individually. " It is now necessary to wait for January and the Open ... of Australia to have the first elements of answer.