Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin / Photo credit: Matthieu Mirville / DPPI via AFP
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8:24 p.m., June 07, 2023
A gala meeting in a dream venue. Game 3 of the Betclic Elite final, the French basketball championship, between Victor Wembanyama’s Metropolitans 92 and Monaco, will be played on the Philippe-Chatrier court, at Roland-Garros, Thursday evening June 15. A match 4, on Saturday June 17, could also take place there if necessary to decide between the two teams. Information mentioned last night on the show Europe 1 Sports and now confirmed by the president of the French Tennis Federation (FFT) Gilles Moretton at the microphone of Martin Lange. Previously, the first two matches of the final will be played in Monaco.
“We are in favor of the organization of this event”, enthused the tennis manager before continuing: “We gave the green light so that we can organize this event here, because sport is a priority. We is delighted to be able to serve both sport and French basketball” This will not be a first for basketball since a match between Paris-Basket and Monaco had already been organized in October 2022. This had brought together more of 10,000 people.
Four days to dismantle everything
The challenge will be significant for the organizers of Roland-Garros and the Federation. And for good reason, the Grand Slam men’s final is to take place this Sunday, four days before the basketball game. Gilles Moretton concedes, the FFT “does not have the teams to” dismantle the central court. “It was absolutely necessary that the club and the city of Boulogne take charge of all the technical organization”, explained the president of the Federation.
The Tennis Federation will however provide assistance, on its own scale. “We will help our colleagues from the Basketball Federation and the National Basketball League”, assured Gilles Moretton all the same. Other avenues to host this final had been considered. The Accord Arena but also the Defense Arena were approached by Victor Wembanyama’s club. But other events were already planned. Usually, the Metropolitans 92 evolve at the Marcel-Cerdan sports palace, in Levallois-Perret, where the capacity in the stands cannot exceed 2,800 people. The club wanted to organize match 3 in a larger venue to allow basketball fans to see the prodigy Victor Wembanyama one last time play in the French championship before his departure for the United States scheduled for this summer.
The Wembanyama Attraction
These matches 3, and potentially 4, will also be an opportunity for the French public to appreciate Victor Wembanyama’s game one last time under the colors of the Metropolitans 92. The prodigy must be drafted in a few days in the NBA, in the United States . “We have a very, very great player who will soon leave. And if the greatest number of French people can see him, we will be delighted”, reacted Gilles Moretton in Europe 1 Sports.
An exciting opposition between the Mets 92 and Monaco, since Monaco finished third in the Euroleague this season. For Gilles Moretton, “it’s a very nice poster. It deserves to be in a big stadium. It’s a godsend for all sports enthusiasts in France.” Ticketing information will soon be communicated. 15,000 seats should be on sale for this gala match.