On the occasion of this 28th edition, some of the players who have made the tournament's glory days have agreed to share their memories of the final. On Sunday 13 February 2000, Marc Rosset won his third Marseille title against a certain Roger Federer.
Marc Rosset: "I felt at home!
"That final against Roger is my best memory of the Open 13. And yet, I have so many memories here. I've won the tournament three times and I've always loved the atmosphere. I love the city of Marseille, I'm a fan of the football team, it's a special city for me. But this was an important moment: first, because it was Roger's first final on the tour. It was also the first Swiss 100 % final. And then I won that final, even though it was a time when I wasn't necessarily at my best. I remember that at the beginning I was a bit nervous and that I was serving very badly. From the baseline, he was much stronger than me, so it was complicated. I was lucky that I was able to improve my ball quality and beat him. We knew each other well and I knew even then that he would win many more! For me it was one of the last ones.
I loved this tournament, I was proud to have won it three times. I was proud to have won it three times, and as soon as I lost here, I got drunk. Once I broke my foot, a stress fracture, in Davis Cup. It was in 1995, the week before the Open 13. I still came to Marseille on crutches. It was horrible for me because I couldn't play even though I had won two titles in a row here. When you're a tennis player, there are bound to be tournaments that you like and others that you don't like as much. The fact that it's an indoor tournament, it was a tournament that I particularly liked. It's very well organised, with really good playing conditions. It's really nice to play on the central court, with very good conditions.
When you are French-speaking, this is a tournament that you will surely enjoy more. When you speak French, you feel a bit more at home. I've always loved it, because I've also made friends there. All my memories in Marseille, sporting and non-sporting, are very strong. In short, there was a special atmosphere. I felt very comfortable, a bit like at home, and that's certainly why I won the tournament three times. If I look back at my career, I have often played where I was happy. And that was the case in Marseille.
Roger Federer: "Very hard to lose
"It was very hard for me to lose the final against Marc. I didn't mind facing him because I already knew that when you enter a court, you shouldn't think about your opponent. But I remember how close I came and how I hit the net on match point in the third set tiebreak. I had the feeling that I was really unlucky and I was very disappointed. It was quite dramatic for me. I was in tears and Marc told me not to worry, that I would win another one. And fortunately, a year later, I won my first title. It was very special for me. Because after that final in Marseille, I'm not joking when I say that at one point I was afraid I would never win a tournament.
Then there was the 2003 edition, when I finally won the tournament against Jonas Bjorkman. It was important for me because the tournament really meant a lot. Marseille is a great tournament, very well organised and with an exceptional public. It's a different tournament, you have to see it with your own eyes to realise that! If a young player asked me what I thought about the tournament, this is what I would say: "It's an indoor tournament, but the weather is always great. And then it's the South of France, a very pleasant region, with an incredible public. In short, you will never regret this trip. Honestly, I only have good memories of Marseille!
