On the occasion of this 28th edition, some of the players who have made the tournament famous have agreed to share their memories of the final. On Sunday 19 February 2006, Arnaud Clément, the local boy, won against Mario Ancic.
Arnaud Clément: "One of my best memories
"Before the final, I felt extremely determined, but also tense and confident. A bit of everything at the same time! I had lost in the final in 1999 and I knew that this was my chance and that I had to take it. I was confident because I had played one of the five best matches of my career in the semis against Rafa. It was like a dream. I think I really dominated him, even though he's a great fighter and it came down to nothing. But even when I was close to defeat in the third set, I continued to take the initiative to qualify for the final.
After that, I didn't really fear Mario Ancic. In fact, I thought he was a profile that could suit me, even if he was a formidable indoor player. One crucial point is that I started very well, putting doubt in his head right away. And I kept going and never let up. He never found a way to disrupt my game plan. I had that rare comfort for a final of dominating the match from start to finish. It was fantastic.
What's more, it was Marseille so when I looked up during the match, I recognised a lot of faces. I had extraordinary support. The public really gave me a lot of strength all week, and that day in particular. And then, after starting well, I also finished very well. It was fabulous: that incredible moment when you realise that you have achieved one of the goals of your career! The fact that I was able to share it with my family was also a great moment, especially with my brother who is from Marseille and who was training me at the time. I wouldn't have won the Open 13 without him. I remember that I was very happy but also very emotional. It's always difficult to establish a hierarchy, but it's undoubtedly one of the most beautiful memories of my career.
Mario Ancic: "A one-way final
"I loved playing in Marseille, especially for the playing conditions. And the city reminded me of my own, Split in Croatia, which is also a coastal city with people who have a temperament and who are fans of sport. In Marseille, I almost always played well. In 2006, all the matches were difficult, from the first round against Baghdatis. I remember beating Ivan Ljubicic in the quarter and Sébastien Grosjean in the semis. They were two very tough matches in a row.
For the final, I was the favourite on paper but I knew it was going to be difficult because Arnaud was playing in his backyard. He was always a difficult opponent for me: solid, aggressive for a player of his size, capable of coming up with a lot of volleys even after the serve, which he did very well, no doubt thanks to the doubles where he was exceptional. The final was one-sided. He won his service games easily, while I was under pressure every time I served. He played superbly well, taking control of the match from the start.
A defeat is never easy but this one wasn't too hard to take because I was in great shape and then I quickly became a top 10 rider. On the other hand, I felt that Arnaud's victory was very special for him. To play a tournament at home is already a special thing, but to win it is something else. The atmosphere was extraordinary and I am sure that it must have been great for him.
Marseille will always be a special place for me, I have great memories there. Unfortunately, it was also where I had to retire in the first round in 2007 because I fell ill. After that I didn't play again for six months.
