ARNAUD CLEMENT SET TO STAR AT 35-40-45 WORLD TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
Former world No. 10 Arnaud Clement is one of several former tennis stars set to compete in the ITF World Tennis Masters Tour 35-40-45 World Team Championships, which gets underway in Portugal on Sunday.
The 44-year-old – who was France’s Davis Cup captain between 2013 and 2015 - will compete for his country in the Men’s 45 team event alongside fellow ex-pro and former world No. 37 Marc Gicquel.
"It’s always something special to play for your country," said Clement, who will captain the team and play in the No. 2 position behind Gicquel. "It was of course different when I was professional, but it’s still a responsibility to be captain of the French team and I take it very seriously. I think it’s going to be serious, but it’s going to be fun too – and we are all really excited to come to this event."
The pair are two of an impressive collection of 35 players due to take part in the 35-40-45 World Championships who have ranked inside the Top 500 on the ATP or WTA Tours, with a total of 86 having once held a professional singles ranking.
Portuguese players Rui Machado, a former world No. 59, and Fred Gil, who climbed to No. 62 in the world back in 2011, will compete for a formidable-looking home side in the men's 35s, while former WTA No. 55 Alberta Brianti is set to line-up for Italy in the women's 35s.
A total of 119 teams are taking part across the 35, 40 and 45 age categories for both men and women, with 65 men’s teams and 54 women’s teams involved.
France, who have won two of the last three editions of the M45 World Team Championships, will have high hopes of recapturing the crown that they lost to Spain last year with Clement on board.
The 2001 Australian Open runner-up has long been a fan of team competition, compiling a 20-11 win-loss record for his nation in Davis Cup and going on to captain the team to the 2014 Final in Lille, where they were ultimately beaten by a Roger Federer-inspired Switzerland. Despite his pedigree, Clement knows that he and Gicquel will have something of a target on their backs in Portugal.
"We are the guys to beat and our [past achievements] add maybe a bit of pressure for the opponent, but it's also a very big motivation for them to say ‘okay, I can beat an ex pro!’," said Clement.
"For the over 45s, if you’re playing regularly, even if you were not a professional player, it’s going to be tough – a lot of these guys are playing regularly, they're very motivated. Just because you had a good ranking doesn’t mean you’re going to win a match."
Such is the strength and depth of competition at this World Championships that it is not necessarily the highest-ranking ex-pros that are deemed the main names to beat. Spaniard Roberto Menendez Ferre might be an even more prized scalp, with the 46-year-old having won eight World Individual titles across the 35 – 45 age groups since 2012, and led Spain to victory in the Mens 45 team category last year.
The World Championships begins with the team event on 31 July – 5 August and sees nations go for glory in men’s and women’s events across the 35, 40 and 45 age categories before players bid for individual glory the following week on 6-13 August.
This event is the first to take place under its new name; ITF World Tennis Masters Tour, following a re-brand of ‘ITF Seniors’ in late July as part of the ITF’s overarching strategic goal to increase participation in tennis.
The new name better reflects the nature and quality of the competition across all age groups from 30 – 90+, in particular recognising its growing appeal to audiences seeking competitive opportunities in the 30-45 age categories.