The player of the France team, Mélissa Martin, looks back on this big week in Dubai for these 16e Worlds. A "disappointing" adventure in Dubai, but the French also wants to look to the future, hoping to end with a good note against Germany.

“The group is disappointed”

We will try to end this competition correctly. But inevitably, there is disappointment in the group. We will give our all to win our last matches properly.

We were seeded 4 and we finish at best 7e...

It's a bit of a disappointment though. We are not going to hide it.

Now, it's not obvious. We are coming off two big defeats against Belgium and yesterday against Portugal and I have lost my last two matches.

We had set ourselves the goal of a bronze medal. And we find ourselves playing a place of 7e. Hearts are heavy because we are competitors. It's normal.

Out of four big matches, we lost three (Sweden in group stage and victory against Brazil, then Belgium in 1/4 and Portugal in the standings). When you lose in a tournament, normally it's over. And there, you have to get up, fight back.

team france 2022 world

“A raised hen”

I think we ended up in a tough group with Sweden and Brazil.

Luck was not necessarily there in the placement of our pairs. The configurations were not in our favor. And we know how much that matters, especially when the nations are close in terms of level. (note: For each confrontation against a nation, there are three matches to be played, and the teams choose to place their pair in 1, 2 or 3)

Afterwards, it is certain that we had success to find ourselves first in the group in this incredible finish where we find ourselves first in the group despite a defeat. We went through all the emotions.

And we failed to take advantage of this opportunity. Which, you understand, increases our disappointment, because we wanted to do much better.

Raise your head and finish well

What hurts is that we are losing this week against some nations that we are historically supposed to be ahead of. So of course, it hurts morale.

We are all very diligent and involved. We did not come for this result.

We'll try to make amends and get this 7e place today.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovers the padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since padel is part of his life. You often see him touring France going to cover the major events of padel French.

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