Junior World Champion 2019, hope for French tennis, discreet, talented, a sublime setback with one hand … Diane Parry hit the first round of Roland-Garros by beating defending champion Barbora Kreijcikova. Portrait of one who grew up a hundred yards from Roland-Garros.
Raised arms, bright eyes, huge smile: 19-year-old Diane Parry has just beaten world No. 2 Rolbora-Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova on the Philippe-Chatrier track. Just that. After losing 6-1, 2-0, Boulonnaise turned everything up to qualify for the second round of the French Open. All the excitement and pride of his father: “He had a huge game. He was at the bottom of the hole at the start and he was able to get up. We’ve played a number of games. That’s huge, it’s excitement. And again, these would mean that you have to spend for these processes.
His first balls hit them a few meters from the Central
For the young Frenchwoman, Roland-Garros is very special: “Every day I saw him (the Roland-Garros stadium) when my mother took me to school in the morning. It was a dream to play there at least once. “I played and I won, it’s even better. It’s a dream with this audience and this atmosphere.”
Because the French grew in a few steps. Born in Nice on September 1, 2002 while her parents were on holiday there, she is from Boulogne-Billancourt. She hits a ball for the first time at the TCBB, which is exactly 750 meters from the Philippe-Chatrier track.
Diane Parry, three older brothers and a younger sister, started playing tennis when she was 5 years old. He progresses quickly and is seen for his talent. After a few seasons, she was hired by the Hauts-de-Seine League to structure her project. He then joined the CNE (National Training Center) six years ago.
Joel Parry, his father: “He is not aware of what he is capable of doing”
In 2018, at just 15 years old, the tournament offered him a wildcard (invitation) for the Porte d’Auteuil classification. Without pressure or fear, he passed the first round beating the Jana Fett Croatian, the 109th player in the world at the time.
In 2019 she became the junior world champion. He also won his first match at Roland Garros at the age of 16. But, as with many athletes, the Covid-20 crisis in 2020 makes it a bit difficult for professionals to rise. Difficulty training, few or no tournaments to play …
He returns to work, wins a challenger in South America last fall, and on February 28, 2022, enters the top 100 players in the world. “She is not aware of what she is capable of doing,” said her father, Joel Parry. “When she is released, she can win almost anyone.
His coach: “The clay will go very well. That’s the most important thing, there are Roland Garros and the Paris Olympics.”
His coach also praises his qualities and sees beyond. “Its top quality: it’s calm. It has all the blows of tennis,” explains Gonzalo López, his coach. ” more importantly, there are Roland Garros and the Paris Olympics. “
Her talent, her one-handed setback reminiscent of Amélie Mauresmo … But Diane Parry is also a discreet character. Even when he knocks down world number 2, no dryness of joy: “I’m like this day in and day out, I don’t change in spite of this victory and everything I’ve experienced today. It doesn’t make me change. show me a lot, I’m like this in everyday life, calm and collected “.
The emergence of a new player at the highest level would be welcome for French women’s tennis, which has been struggling in recent years. Diane Parry could reach the third round of Roland-Garros for the first time in her career. Last year there was no blue in this phase of the competition.