Paralympic Games 2021: French Stéphane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer win gold in wheelchair tennis and – Franceinfo

They did it ! The pair of doubles in wheelchair tennis, made up of Stéphane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer, won Paralympic gold for the second time in a row. After a suspenseful match lasting more than three hours of play, the French gave everything they could on Ariake’s court in Tokyo.

THEes Tricolores Won in three sets (7-5, 0-6, 7-6 [7-3]), Friday September 3, against the British pair Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid, seeded number 1, thus collecting Paralympic gold. The title holders achieve the double, after their gold medal won in Rio, five years ago.

This medal, the Blues went to get it. They first experienced some difficulties at the start of the match. Led 3-1 in the first set, the Houdet-Peifer pair recovered to pick up the score and return to 3-3. At the end of a set hung up to the last point, the French still won 7-5, after having offered themselves five set points.

But the second round quickly became more complex for the Blues. Broken from the start, they suffered helplessly from the English steamroller. The British then confirmed, then made the triple break to afford the second set 6-0, after twelve ties and nine set points before concluding in the last game.

The third set started with the same scenario, the English breaking from the start. The Blues did not stop the bleeding until after the loss of a ninth game in a row. Much more than a simple game since it allowed to break the British dynamic. The French were the best in their defensive game. True blue wall, Houdet and Perfer were stronger, more solid, and more patient, waiting for the fault of their opponents.

CHAMPIIOONNSS PARALYMPIIQQUUEESS !!

Like in Rio, @HoudetStephane & @Nicolas_Peifer were able to find the flaw in the game of the British pair.
The double-double. Our French are again covered in gold #GoBlue | # Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/TfRikhN2CK

– France Team (@EquipeFRA) September 3, 2021

Tightening the game, the Blues have completed overthrowing their opponents by pushing them into a decisive tie-break, before winning firmly. The opportunity was too good to glean this medal, the 50th of the French delegation, and the ninth in gold. And, above all, to afford a historic double after the gold of Rio.