Smiling, his t-shirt stained with dirt after a little roll, Gabriel Debru savors his triumph while the public at the Simonne-Mathieu court begins a Marseillaise. After Van Assche, Debru… For the second consecutive year, a Tricolore won the junior tournament.
The 16-year-old from Grenoble, already promised a bright future, won in the final against the Belgian Bailly (7-6, 6-3 in 2:01). The seeded No. 14 is the 14th French player to register his name on the winners of the event, the sixth since the year 2000 after in particular Paul-Henri Mathieu, Richard Gasquet or Gaël Monfils.
The baccalaureate in two weeks
The fight was tough, tight, muscular, but the power of the blue giant (1.95m) made the difference. Apart from a set conceded in the semi-finals, Debru flew over the competition and achieved the goal he had set for himself at the start of the week. “You deserve it because you really are the best player,” summed up his opponent of the day sportingly.
The big blue-white-red server, who was able to count on the support of his parents, brother and sister, cousins and friends, has only one word in his mouth: incredible. “It’s really incredible to play on this court in front of so many people, he says, winner’s plate in hand. So much encouragement, it’s incredible…”
Even if he knows well that this success is only a step, Debru will quickly come down to earth. And for good reason. Another match now begins for the pupil of Boris Vallejo with… the baccalaureate in less than two weeks. “It is sure that during a Roland-Garros, it is still complicated to work, he smiles. A little hour here and there doesn’t hurt. But I’m going to revise for a week anyway! »
For the rest, nothing is written yet. But the world No. 780, who passed a qualifying round in the main draw (youngest Grand Slam player since Tomic in Australia 2008), seems to have a bright future ahead of him. “We are a great generation to come at the French level, with Arthur Fils, Luca Van Assche, Sean Cuenin, me, he lists. We are many. And I think it must please the public, to see that there are young people who also come in force… ”