'Rendez-vous a Roland-Garros' promises more clay talent

With the second edition of French Open tennis talent hunt programme set to hit the country in February next year, Director of Development at Roland Garros Sam Primaut today said the junior event will help India produce more clay court champions.
Indian girls made their presence felt in the opening edition of the tournament (Rendez-vous a Roland-Garros) in April after rubbing shoulders with young talent from China and Brazil.
The tournament will see the best U-18 Indian players (boys and girls) compete for a chance to enter the Roland Garros Junior draw in Paris in May 2016. The winners of the Indian leg will go on to face competitors from Brazil, South Korea and China in the play-offs.

Primaut said that the tournament not only takes Roland Garros, the brand, forward but also promotes talent in countries like India.
"The plan is to expand Roland Garros, the brand, and the practice of tennis on clay all over the world and especially the countries that we have identified because of growth opportunity and potential of the country. India has been mapped as one of the first few one in terms of potential.
"So that's why last year we initiated the relationship and we have have had good relationship with your local tennis federation. Last year we organised the first rendezvous at Roland Garros," Primaut told PTI.

"At the moment we have mapped New Delhi and Mumbai in India, considering their economic power and the potential of sport. In the long run when we acquire more knowledge of the country we would certainly get in more cities," he added.