Le Reve Nancy Preview: Serme Eager To Get Back On Court

The PSA Challenger 10 Le Reve Nancy takes place this week, with 32 players descending on north-east France in the hope of taking home their first title of 2021. Lucas Serme is one of those players and he will be the top seed this week, with the Frenchman admitting he is eager to get back on court after the festive period.

The tournament, like all on the Challenger Tour at the moment, has restricted entry. This Challenger 10 level event is open to only cross-border participation, meaning players from Andorra, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain and Switzerland, along with the host nation, France, have been allowed to enter.

There is a French quartet at the top of the seedings for the event. World No.35 Lucas Serme is the top seed, with Baptiste Masotti, Victor Crouin and Benjamin Aubert, all within the world’s top 50, the other members of that top four.

Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann, who won the Sihltal Classic in December, Spain’s Bernat Jaume and Japan’s Ryosei Kobayashi are all inside the top eight seeds for the event.

There could be a clash between Kobayashi and Aubert in the last eight, if results go to seedings, while the Spanish Jaume could face Victor Crouin at the same stage. Swiss No.2 Steinmann is seeded to meet top seed Serme in the quarter-finals, with the Frenchman starting his campaign off against compatriot Paul Gonzalez on Friday morning.

The World No.35 has admitted that due to the lack of competition, with there being no tournaments on the PSA World Tour right now, that everyone is looking forward to get back on court as quickly as possible.

“I am looking forward to it very much. The lack of competition is really taking its toll on the players I believe, and we are all eager to just get on court at the first opportunity we get!” he explained.

“I do not feel like I necessarily play better or worse depending on the location, but thanks to how close the tournament is to my home, my coach will be able to come to the matches which is a big plus.”

He also talked about the level of French players at the moment, with himself, Gregoire Marche, Victor Crouin, Baptiste Masotti, Gregory Gaultier and Benjamin Aubert all sitting inside the world’s top 50.

Because of this, Serme believes that taking the title this week, even though he is the top seed for the tournament, will be a big boost for himself ahead of 2021.

“Our country has been doing really well in the last couple of years, we have a lot of great players coming up, even just outside the top 50, many young ones. So getting the title would be great obviously, and a really significant win.”

The event takes place from Friday, January 29 to Monday, February 1 at the Squash Le Reve in Nancy. Follow the PSA Challenger Tour on Twitter and Facebook for daily updates from the event.

Play from Squash Le Reve will also be live-streamed. The action begins at 10:30 (GMT) on Friday morning and you will be able to watch it on the Challenger Tour Livestreams YouTube channel.

First Round Draw: PSA Challenger 10 Le Reve Nancy
[1] Lucas Serme (FRA) v Paul Gonzalez (FRA)
Tobias Weggen (GER) v [13] Joeri Hapers (BEL)
[16] Miguel Mathis (SUI) v Aron Astray (ESP)
Quint Mandil (FRA) v [5] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI)
[8] Ryosei Kobayashi (JPN) v Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA)
Adrien Douillard (FRA) v [9] Hugo Varela (ESP)
[15] Edwin Clain (FRA) v David Maier (LIE)
Julius Benthin (GER) v [4] Benjamin Aubert (FRA)
[3] Victor Crouin (FRA) v Augusto Ortigosa (ESP)
Manu Paquemar (FRA) v [11] Valentin Rapp (GER)
[10] Robin Gadola (SUI) v [WC] Brice Nicolas (FRA)
Pablo Dolz (ESP) v [7] Bernat Jaume (ESP)
[6] Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) v [WC] Maceo Levy (FRA)
Nils Roesch (SUI) v [12] Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI)
[14] Ivan Perez (ESP) v Fynn Schuck (GER)
David Bernet (SUI) v [2] Baptiste Masotti (FRA)