Original subtitles

Come on!

Come on, Thosso!

Edison!

-Hello, Damien. -Hello.

-How are you? -Fine, thanks.

I bet you're doing better than just fine

with everything going on right now.

Bearing in mind you're just 17 years old.

You've already won Estoril and Acapulco.

John McEnroe just said

you could be world number one someday.

What do you say to that?

No. 1 "FRANCE'S HOPE"

Not a lot, really. I'm here, calmly training.

I try not to think too much about it.

You'll be playing your first world matches soon,

which is a major step for you and your fans.

Are you aiming for anything?

If I don't make it to week two, I'll be disappointed.

If you make it that far, you'll be in the top 16.

So, quarterfinals it is?

Why stop there?

-Semifinals? -We'll see.

Semifinals then. You've heard it here first!

I admire how ambitious you are.

Thomas Joseph Edison?

This way, please.

-Do you feel better? -Yes, I do.

-Go on. Tell me what you see. -All right.

I can see my knee, my ligament.

It's healing well.

So we were right to operate again

as I'm in good shape now.

So…

But my birth defect

on top of the osteochondritis I had before will not get any better.

The internal wearing of the joint

and the cartilage will worsen the arthritis

which will become chronic and painful.

Then, sooner or later, ligament injuries

will also exacerbate my knee's natural deformations.

Blah, blah, blah…

Did I get that right?

Well, yes…

No surprises, then?

How is Eve doing anyway?

Eve is doing a lot better.

She's actually…

she's got some training she'll start in September.

-That's good. -Yes. It gives her a goal.

And how's your mom?

My mom?

How is Judith?

Tireless.

Are these the thinnest you have?

These are more breathable.

No, it's okay.

Next, please.

-Hello. -Hello.

Daddy.

That's not right.

Okay, let's start over.

-First entry is 209th position. -Hey.

Anything here for you?

This?

No, not that!

I don't get why it's 209th this year,

when we were in 255th place last year.

No, I get what you're saying.

Are you playing?

-Hit it! -How many direct entries?

Harder!

Thirty-eight.

You got more requests for players in the top 200?

Okay. How many?

-Eight? -Mommy.

Mommy.

Sorry, hold on. No, eight.

So that should make…

that's 242.

Yes, but Thomas is 245th.

But that's ridiculous. Just three places.

-Where's the ball I gave you? -Last year he was 257th.

Here it is.

-It was hidden. -It was hidden. You kept it safe.

I don't give a damn if Dimitrov is coming now!

Will you be refunding our flights?

And the hotel?

Hello?

-There you go. Hit harder. -Unbelievable!

-And they hung up. -Harder!

I could murder them.

We'll put it here.

It's going up the elevator.

-Did Daddy buy a ball? -He sure did.

-Let's see. -It's a gift.

Gaspard doesn't want to play tennis.

He wants to be a doctor.

No, not doctor!

Shall I draw?

A racket?

A big one or a small one?

A little one.

What about Marrakesh?

What about Valencia or Budapest?

No.

The same.

I still have Zagreb.

It's a Futures, but it's fine.

Isn't Zagreb in September?

-Well? -It is.

You said you'd look after Gaspard in September.

Yeah.

My course starts on the ninth. We had a deal.

You should quit the Futures. They're too small.

Come on, it's ridiculous. You're playing for 1,000 euros, tops.

Fifteen hundred, actually.

You make 1,000 euros. You pay 400 on the hotel.

The flight costs 200.

Yes, I know.

Well, you can't go for two weeks in September for 300 euros.

Then there's the French Open.

The French Open!

With Dad's wild card!

Hey? Is that your wild card?

Well, yeah.

I'll get it.

When do you coach tomorrow?

Ten o'clock.

Is he going to die?

I guess.

It looks like it.

THOMAS J. EDISON FRANCE'S HOPE

THOMAS J. EDISON, 7 YEARS OLD MY STORY

No hands in your pockets.

Marie-Astrid, move over a bit.

There you go. Never step on this line.

Adrien, keep off the line.

The line is like a…

-Go on. -A crocodile crossing!

A crocodile crossing! Very good.

One, two, three.

Jump on the spot. Legs straight. Back now.

Heel to butt!

Who did the crocodiles get?

We've lost a few feet!

Quietly fetch your rackets,

and line up behind the small blue cone.

And go.

Go!

Even with your headband, it's no good.

Go twice around the cone.

Come on, give him a big hand!

Adrien, Samurai!

Go!

And go.

Okay.

It's still not great, even when I say okay.

Let's have Edouard now.

Samurai.

Ready…

That's called luck! Let's try again since it was pure luck.

Another lucky shot.

No, we did nothing unusual. It's damaged…

No, but--

You send me a brand-new bubble, and, a year later, it tears.

No, we didn't do anything unusual.

What do I do with it now?

Use it as a climbing frame?

I won't pay a cent more,

and you'll soon be sorry

if you don't fix it by the fall.

Thank you.

Asshole.

Thomas, it's on.

Hello.

Thank you for joining us.

Today, we're revealing the names of the eight male wild cards

for the 2019 tournament.

As a reminder, a wild card is an invitation to play in the first round

for all players whose ranking would usually exclude them.

As part of our collaboration with the US Association,

let's begin by announcing Joseph Pitman.

Next, is Maxime Gaboriot after his recent wins.

And, finally, the young players.

Corentin Pillou,

Jordan Gabail, Luc Vanne,

Phi Long Anh, Romain Rosenberg,

and Jonathan Lavrière.

All other players

must qualify via the usual three rounds…

That's it.

Are you okay?

Yeah, I'm okay.

I'm fine.

I'll do the qualifiers again.

Of course.

All right…

I'll get a shower.

-Are you happy with the osteopathy course? -I am.

It's a fantastic course…

So you met her in the course?

-Yeah. -A qualified osteopath?

No. Not yet. We're both on…

-She's training too? -Yeah.

Who's this?

-Mathilde! -Who?

-Mathilde. -Who's Mathilde?

My new girlfriend.

-My latest conquest. -At last!

I bet she can't wait to experience the one-ball wonder.

Shut up!

Give me a break!

-It's no big deal. -Must've been quite the surprise.

What did she say?

She noticed it pretty quickly. But she has no problem with it.

-To Mathilde, then. -Cheers.

A very understanding lady.

And to your retirement.

Are you happy with the results?

Yeah, well,

health-wise, I had-- I worked it out.

I sprained my ankle five times, then a groin muscle three times, had OSD,

three stress fractures, tennis elbow, periostitis, and four broken fingers.

And to top the year off, 12,000 euros overdrawn.

Did she know you played tennis?

Yeah, I told her.

I'm actually the oldest in the course.

-You're the oldest? -I'm 37.

At 37, it's time to stop anyway.

Yeah.

Don't you plan to stop?

I'm in the qualifiers.

-You're doing the qualifiers? -Yeah.

Yeah, I am.

128 guys desperate to reach the first round.

-Yep. -You'll get crushed.

Why? No I won't.

I'm not giving up.

Despite his young age, Damien Thosso will enter the tournament

with amazing self-confidence.

His advanced skill at only 17

makes him one of the most promising players of his generation.

He looks a bit like you, doesn't he?

I'm better looking.

I mean his attitude.

Their lack of experience and hindsight

don't act in their favor.

Many young players enter top levels too early,

unable to follow through after their grand debut.

Joseph Vigny, Thierry Leroy,

and of course, Thomas Edison, who remains in the collective unconscious

as the symbol of this syndrome.

They'll forget one day.

They can't forget me.

Okay, I'm going to bed.

Thomas Edison, who, after the 2001 semifinal,

lost two match points

against Alex Corretja,

has remained in the depths of the rankings,

unable to return to the fore.

One missed ball

and Alex Corretja will play Sunday's final

against Gustavo Kuerten from Brazil.

No one could have imagined

such a resounding defeat.

Sadly, for Thomas Edison,

this game marks the end of his short-lived but amazing career.

A crushing defeat…

ATHLETE ASSISTANCE

ASSISTING TOP-LEVEL ATHLETES IN SUCCESSFUL CAREER CHANGES

ONLINE ASSESSMENT

SURNAME: EDISON

FIRST NAME: THOMAS

YEARS AS A PROFESSIONAL PLAYER: 18

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOUR SPORTING CAREER?

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO AFTER YOUR SPORTING CAREER?

WHAT SKILLS DO YOU HAVE OUTSIDE OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL SPORT?

NOTHING

Stick to your line. Stick to it.

Yeah.

Yeah!

Careful, you're holding back.

One, two, three, four. Careful.

Six, seven, eight.

One, two.

Two more.

Bend the front knee. Okay.

One, two.

Okay. On the right foot. Four.

Hold there. Five,

six,

seven.

A final one. Eight.

Okay, relax. You're good.

QUALIFIERS FIRST ROUND

Thanks, Gaspard.

Powerade, grip, overgrip,

k-tape, bandage, socks,

bananas, water, gel. Okay.

Have fun, okay?

I'll come when Nico gets here.

Tellani against Lorenzo, court number eight.

The match starts in 15 minutes.

Marcora against Ymer, court number ten.

Oh, for fuck's sake!

This game will be the best of three sets,

tiebreak in each set.

Mr. Edison?

Heads.

Tails.

I'll serve.

Three minutes.

Go on, guys!

Muller to serve.

15-love.

Fault.

30-love.

Come on, Thomas!

40-love.

Game to Muller. First game, first set.

-What's up? -What's up, Damien?

Court number 12,

Edison-Muller game resumes.

Muller leads one set to love and 4-1 in the second set.

Court number 12.

The Edison-Muller game resumes.

Thosso!

Edison!

15-love.

MATCH POINT FOR EDISON

Game, set, and match to Edison.

Two sets to one. 2-6, 7-5, 7-6.

-Hello, sir. -Hello.

-Rue Pasteur, Issy-les-Moulineaux, please. -Okay.

Excuse me.

Sorry, I can't drive you.

The top players are coming.

They need the cars.

Have a nice day.

HE'S BACK

They don't get it.

If you let Djokovic lead the game, he'll eat you alive.

Did you see the game?

He's a machine.

He's not a machine.

Borg was.

Djokovic has five more Grand Slams, Mom.

With his gear, at his age,

Borg wins.

"His gear."

Borg's a machine.

A Djokovic-Borg game would be interesting.

Borg still wins, hands down.

Or, even better,

Djokovic-Connors.

Same thing, Djokovic wastes Connors.

I don't know. Talk to me about Safin.

Or Tsitsipas.

-Oh, Tsitsipas. -Jealous?

Sounds like a yogurt. Want a strawberry Tsitsipas?

-Don't listen to Daddy. Bedtime. -Finished your yogurt Tsitsipas?

Let's go brush your teeth.

Come on, it's time.

-Kisses. -One for Daddy?

-Kiss for Daddy. -One for me?

Oh, a big kiss.

Good night, Daddy.

Let's go.

Your knee again?

If you'd won the game quicker, you'd suffer less.

Why lose the first set?

I was moving badly.

Exactly.

And what must you do when you're moving badly?

Shorten the exchanges.

Exactly.

Amen.

Come next time. Don't hesitate.

How's the club doing, Judith?

Open house was a success.

We'll have new members. That should grease the wheels.

That's good.

But Marielle just told me she's leaving.

I'm looking for coaches.

I've given up on my son,

but how about you, Eve?

No, thank you. It's okay.

I really want to get away from tennis.

And, well…

No, I think that a new start will really do me good.

-Her course looks great. -Yeah.

Well.

You're going back to school.

No. It's a course in sports management.

-Wasn't this tasty? -It was!

You look tired.

No, I'm fine. I feel good.

We all get old, Thomas.

It's not a bad thing.

You could try the over-35 league.

Screw the over-35 thing, Mom.

Younes El Anaoui got his best ranking

of world number 14 in 2003 at 33.

Okay, we know your spiel.

Six months earlier he was 200th.

Ivanišević won his first Grand Slam at 30…

-Help me. -It's all I do.

Connors, we already mentioned, 1991,

US Open semifinals against…

Stop it!

…he was 39. And three years later, Connors--

-Yes, Connors again… -Thomas.

-Thomas. -…three years later, 1995…

-Thomas. -…in Germany,

made the quarterfinals at 43.

And Borg stopped at 25.

So I reckon I have seven more years.

-What? -Impossible.

I'm kidding.

I'm coming.

Can I count on you tomorrow?

Yes. As long as it's the last time.

Thomas!

Is little Edouard still as good?

Yes, he sure is.

He's precise.

He's focused. He moves really well.

I mentioned the league to his folks.

That's not a good idea.

Sorry, but

these kids are too young to be thrown into academies.

His talent would be wasted here.

-Really? -Yes.

And what happens after?

You know what.

Sports academy, 20 hours of tennis a week,

joints wrecked prematurely.

He'll be brainwashed with a load of bull about how handsome and great he is.

And what will his parents do?

Stop work to follow their son everywhere.

And if he fails, he will have wasted his childhood for nothing.

And his parents will have gotten a divorce most likely.

I'm glad you sent me to the sports academy.

Speak for yourself.

But all the same, they get sold

the same fabulous dream,

and most of them never experience it.

You can't explain to a kid that age

the pressure involved.

But look at him play.

You may think he's special, but I don't.

He's not bad,

but he's not exceptional.

He'll be a good club player,

maybe even a 6.0 player, but he'll never play professionally.

I've seen very few exceptional kids.

Maybe three or four in 25 years.

And among them, only one,

just one had the potential to be a great player.

-Do you need me after this? -No.

-Antonin will give me a hand. -Good.

You did a great job with me, Mom.

-Thomas? -Heads.

-Heads. -I'll serve.

Have a good game.

QUALIFIERS SECOND ROUND

Edison to serve.

MATCH POINT EDISON

Game, set, and match to Edison.

Two sets to one, 7-6, 4-6, 6-0.

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday, dear Gaspard

Happy birthday to you

Yeah!

Come on! Again!

Blow hard!

Harder!

There you go!

It's from your godfather.

What is it?

Must be champagne.

No way.

Albertus again!

Wow!

He never asked for it.

Let's cut the cake Grandma made. It's beautiful.

How do I cut the racket?

-No, leave that part. -I'll leave it.

-Is it made of wood? -I'm not sure.

She can trick you. You know that.

You made them.

-This part looks edible. -Okay.

Also, congrats, Thomas, for the second round.

-Yeah. -Oh yeah!

This is a present that I…

-Oh yes! -Careful.

Why did you play in step to his weak spot?

Well, it was my game strategy.

Well, avoid that next time.

Okay.

-Is Jean-Baptiste okay? -No.

He hasn't got his girls.

He feels lost, that kind of thing.

And you? What's up with the club?

Nothing's up.

I don't know. You needed to grease the wheels…

Oh, that!

That was just a figure of speech.

Are you in debt?

Well, aren't we all?

Yes, we sure are.

Okay.

Ask, if need be.

No, seriously, Mom. I can help you, soon.

Really, I can help you. Stop it.

Oh, my sweet son.

Come on!

Okay. Try to put a bit more into the legs, please.

Just a bit more.

Any news from Mina and Sacha?

Oh…

They're fine.

They're okay.

Mina started tennis last week.

How cute.

Yeah.

Yeah, it's nice.

Did Daddy choose her racket?

If I had chosen a racket…

they'd have picked another.

"Around him,

children run, laugh, and talk."

"Rusty was sure that he could repair any car."

"They told him, 'You're nuts!'"

"He replied, 'I know cars inside and out.'"

"'If I mend all the cars, we'll make a team.'"

"'And, if we're united, we'll win.'"

That's it. Bedtime.

-I don't want to. -Come on, Gaspard.

It's late. Daddy is tired.

-One last story? -No, come on, Eve.

Come on. You can read him one more.

Just read to him.

Okay, a second one, then bedtime.

The last one.

EDISON, THE PRODIGY'S RETURN?

THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS BY EDISON,

FORMER PROMISING FRENCH TENNIS PLAYER,

HAVE REVIVED INTEREST IN THE QUALIFIERS.

That's it.

Look.

Let's see,

"Edison, the prodigy's return?"

"The first two rounds by Thomas Edison,

former promising French tennis player,

have revived interest in the qualifiers."

"The audience was keen in the second round…" Blah, blah, blah…

No, not "Blah, blah, blah…"

"Paris."

"Thomas Edison has had a brilliant and erratic career."

"Returning from oblivion at almost 37,

he has almost qualified for the Open."

"After two stunning rounds,

seeing Thomas Edison on the main court at Porte D'Auteuil

is an undeniable pleasure."

"Seeing him win a match again,

18 years after his tragic semifinal in 2001,

even in a simple qualifier,

is a huge joy."

"He knows it is his last chance, and he won't miss it."

Can I finish reading it later?

The article.

I need to do something.

Gaspard, put the garage away.

Put it away, okay?

-Yes. -Here we go.

Okay, sweetheart?

Here. Look at me.

Where's Mommy going?

-She's going to see Daddy. -Yes, I'm going to watch Daddy.

And Nico is playing with me.

And Nico is coming to play with you, yes.

Look.

Look.

Mommy is letting you play with her racket.

Oh no.

-No? -I don't want the racket.

-Why don't you want it? -I don't like Mommy's racket.

Mommy doesn't play tennis.

Yes, she does.

I want Daddy's red one.

That's Daddy's racket.

Daddy's racket!

-Here. -This one's pretty.

It's not all black.

QUALIFIERS THIRD ROUND

-Come on! -Go for it, Thomas!

You can do it!

Love-15.

Go on!

Fault!

Game to Tarpichev.

Tarpichev leads four games to three, second set.

Fault!

MATCH POINT EDISON

Go on!

Come on!

Edison!

Game, set, and match to Edison.

5-7, 7-5, 6-2.

Careful.

Well done, Thomas!

Well done, Edison!

Bravo!

Well done, Thomas! Good job!

-Hello. -Hello.

-Sorry, you can't go in. -I have an orange badge.

No, it's the wrong color.

-What? -Hello. Go ahead.

You need one of the blue ones.

I'm Thomas Edison's wife!

I'm sorry, but you can't go in.

-I'm his wife. -You have the wrong badge.

All I can do is maybe let you watch from here.

-Here? -Yes.

Right there.

It's stupid making me stand here.

I'm sorry. It's all I can do.

Hello. It's been a long time.

Hello, Thomas. It's good to see you again.

-It's been a while. Congratulations. -Thanks.

Making it through the qualifiers is hard, but, at your age, it's a feat.

Yeah.

It's been almost 18 years to the day since your exceptional performance

at the 2001 Open, when you got to the semifinal.

A symbolic day, perhaps?

I don't know about symbolic.

Above all, it's a day that

I personally try to forget.

But thanks for reminding me.

Do you know your first-round opponent?

No, not yet.

The draw is tomorrow.

Okay. Whoever your opponent is, you'll probably get main court.

A nice way to mark the end of your career.

I don't know about that.

No. Well,

take Younes El Aynaoui, for instance.

He got his best ranking, world number 14, at 33

in 2003.

Only six months earlier, he was below 200th place.

Goran Ivanišević won his first Grand Slam at 30,

at Wimbledon in 2001.

-Jimmy Connors-- -They weren't 37.

As I was saying, Jimmy Connors qualified for the semifinal

at the 1991 US Open against Jim Courier.

He was 39, after two years away.

And then again in 1995,

Jimmy Connors reached the quarterfinals

in Halle, Germany, aged 43.

Do you compare yourself to him?

I'm not comparing myself to Jimmy Connors. I'm just trying to give good examples.

So you'll keep playing next year?

If my physical condition allows it,

and I manage to stay at this level, then maybe.

So it's a "yes"?

No, it's a "maybe."

Another question?

All right.

Easy now, easy. Let it lift.

Okay. Relax.

Grab your leg.

All right.

Relax.

Okay.

Relax.

And how is your knee?

We're actually doing slightly different muscle-strengthening work with Laurent.

-You know him? -Of course.

-Laurent coached me. -Oh yeah.

Be careful with the recovery. Lots of ice.

Yeah, I'm doing it.

And how's the commentating going?

It's quite fun actually.

It's different, but I like it. It's great.

It looks like it. Is someone assisting you?

Not really. It also depends on the reporter you're with.

But it's great. It really is.

Why not give it a go someday?

Yeah, maybe.

Don't you miss playing?

I do miss playing a bit.

The buzz of matches and tournaments, yes.

But everything it entails, no.

Especially my bad hip.

I couldn't bear the pain anymore.

Okay.

As you know, we represent the fragrance brand

Lucy Stanley, Scent and Home Fragrance.

Here.

So we usually don't work

with first-round French players,

but your unique situation interests us.

Okay.

So, you'll just have to wear one of these patches

we have here

and get paid for it.

Five thousand euros a match.

-Per match? -Yes.

The patch measures 2 by 6.5 centimeters,

making 13 square centimeters. On your left shoulder.

Do I get to choose the color?

-Well, yes, it's… -At your discretion.

To suit your mood…

And your shirt.

Not this one, then.

I did like that one, but never mind.

Well, it's his decision.

Stéphane had a special request.

Well, only after the tournament, and only if it's no bother.

You don't have to.

His wife plays tennis,

and she's always been a big fan.

Since the 2001 semifinal.

Oh my!

And she'd really like

to take private lessons with you.

That's it.

Sure. Gladly.

That's really kind.

I can take her

for dinner, also skiing in winter,

surfing in summer.

-I was joking, sorry. -Right.

Yes, I knew it. I wasn't sure, but…

Anyway.

EDISON, REPORT ON A BROKEN RISING STAR

"MY SON DIDN'T HAVE THE MINDSET TO BE A GREAT PLAYER."

It's Daddy!

Rusty.

No stories, it's late.

Mommy!

Why is he still up?

Because he was too excited to know

that you'll be playing next year after all.

I said maybe.

Daddy.

-Read Rusty to me. -No, Gaspard.

All right, Gaspard. Give Daddy a kiss.

Okay? We had a deal.

And you know how to keep a deal.

Come on. Good night, Daddy.

Qualified player number 3.

Peter Polanksy will face Elias Ymer.

Qualified player number 4.

Marcelo Arevalo will face Darian King.

Qualified player number 5.

Jason Jung will face Harris Lloyd.

Qualified player number 6.

Lorenzo Sonego will face Corentin Denolly.

Qualified player number 7.

Thomas Edison…

Qualified player number 7, so, Thomas Edison will face Damien Thosso.

And finally, qualified player number 8.

Jürgen Zopp will face Alexandre Morleix.

Thank you.

-Jean-Pierre, over here! -This way!

-Over here! -Here!

-Jean-Pierre! -This way!

-Caroline, here! -Jean-Pierre, over here!

Go ahead, please.

Eve!

Thomas!

Thomas, over here!

-And Eve. -Stop it.

Can I have another drink, please?

Of course.

-There you go. -Thanks.

-Are you okay? -I'm having a blast.

Oh yeah, come and meet Chloé Delorme.

Come on.

-Chloé Delorme, nice to meet you. -Eve Delaitre.

We're so happy to work with Thomas. We love him.

Oh, I love him too.

Well, except when he shuts our son in the washing machine.

I'm kidding.

I have the feeling I know you.

I've seen you before. Didn't you play too?

-Well, yes, I did. -There you go.

And what do you do now?

Well, I'm working.

No, I'm not working yet. I still look after our son, Gaspard.

Eve is the one who's made all of this possible.

She was a great player, and she helps me all the time…

Yeah. Thanks, Thomas.

Actually I'm starting a sports management course in September.

Because up until now it was tough with Thomas being away so much,

but now that's over.

Right? It'll be much easier now.

Great.

Okay, so good luck to you.

-Thank you. -See you later, Thomas.

See you soon.

-Wait, Thomas, I forgot. -Yes?

You should be getting the wild card for the Tokyo tournament in October.

-I saw to it. -Really?

-Great! -They would be delighted to have you.

So, it's great.

Okay then, have a good evening.

-Thank you. -You too.

You're welcome.

What's this wild card?

It's Tokyo.

It's an ATP 500. It's great news. I'm so pleased.

But wait, when is it?

In October…

Thomas, please. Come quick!

Five more minutes, then we'll go.

Okay.

Coming.

Up we go.

Gaspard.

I don't want Daddy! I want Mommy!

Oh, sweetheart!

Oh no.

-Oh, he picked it up already. -The car.

Let's eat some cereal.

But where's my cup?

Oh, what a big boy!

-Oh my gosh! -Oh, I'm too small.

You're too-- No, you're big.

Why is the mood so heavy?

When we should be happy and celebrating.

You seem to be in…

low spirits, as they say. I don't know.

No. It's just that I found out only yesterday

that you'll be playing next year, and will be off to Tokyo

in October.

I know what I promised you in September.

Now things are changing.

You just need to be a little flexible. That's all.

Thomas, I've been flexible for years now.

Know how long you were away last year?

Five months and nine days.

A new record, Mr. Edison.

I'm away for my ranking.

Not for fun.

It's not for fun?

But if it's not for fun, what is it for?

Well? Because honestly, your ranking…

Shit, but at your age,

how come you can't see that the way out is right there.

In front of you.

Come back down.

Come back down to earth.

How much did we lose last year?

No idea. Last year, the prize money was lower.

This year, the players' union has changed.

And if your mother hadn't been there to give us some work, I…

Yes, but now, even If I lose in the first round, I get 45,000.

And the 5,000-euro sponsor.

-So we're covered. -Yes, 45,000.

Take off the expenses, income tax, and the--

What do you have left? 20,000, and it cost 30 to get here!

But we've been in debt since forever.

Why is money an issue all of a sudden? Really?

Why now?

I haven't played this well in six years.

Can't I just leave one door open? Can't I?

You were the first to encourage me.

Yes. I did. I did encourage you

because I know how important this tournament is to you.

But I didn't think you'd actually qualify.

I don't mean that.

You think I won't make the first round?

Stop it.

Stop.

It's just that I'm sick of…

sick of preparing your water bottles,

and scratching your back.

I'm your wife.

Remember?

Or do you just want to hear, "Thomas."

"Thomas, over here!"

What the…

what is this?

Are you jealous?

Yeah. I don't know.

Thinking about it…

Of course, Thomas. That's what it is. Jealousy.

Fuck, you really think the world revolves around you.

Eve, you were an amazing club player.

That's huge!

You know you'd never have been a top player.

At best, you'd be what? The world number 200?

If that.

Well now,

we will never know.

And you'll never experience competing after childbirth.

Go on.

Answer it.

Hello?

Hi, Chloé. How are you?

Yes, of course.

Yeah.

Gaspard.

Shoes on.

-Yeah. -Okay?

-What are you doing? -I'm leaving.

Enjoy your own company.

Yeah, I'm still here.

And we'll see to ourselves too, okay? Let's go.

Hold on.

-Let's at least finish talking. -We're done.

Eve! Wait!

Screw you!

Hello, Chloé, sorry. You were saying?

Okay.

Yeah.

Okay, great.

Thanks a lot.

Damien, you said yesterday

at another interview that, "Thomas Edison plays like your grandma."

Aren't such remarks likely to put you under

unnecessary extra pressure?

That's not quite what I said.

I said Thomas Edison is my grandma's favorite player.

You get the difference?

But do you know his career?

All I know about him

is that, to this day, he's the last French player

to have reached the semifinal.

We can't forget that.

What I mean to say is that I have faith in my game.

I know what I'm capable of.

But I don't know him.

And

it will be a good warm-up.

-And… -What about his knee operations?

-I think he only had two. -Three.

Three.

And there's almost a 20-year age gap between us.

So I think it'll be tough for him physically.

He will suffer a lot.

Hello, Thomas.

How do you explain

the lack of important wins since the two match points

for the final that you lost in 2001.

I have no idea.

You want reasons, but I honestly don't know.

Could it be mental?

How did you react to your mother's comment

that you might not have the mindset of a great player?

Well, I…

I…

No, I wasn't happy about it.

Is it true that after that loss, she stopped attending matches?

Or is it just a rumor?

-Can we change the subject? -No, it's okay.

Well, yes, it's true. She never attended another match.

Is it true she put too much pressure on you? And smothered you?

-Pass. -No, I want to answer.

Those who say that, I just tell them it's bullshit.

The only one responsible on the court is me.

So, stop talking about her and leave her be.

Presumably, she couldn't stand to see you suffer with each loss.

-That's enough. -She also--

All right, stop. Stop.

I think I've answered your questions.

Maybe I wasn't clear enough.

Or it wasn't what you wanted to hear.

Perhaps you have some answers

to suggest to me that would suit you better.

Okay, one more question on another subject, please.

Harder!

Don't stop.

Shit!

Fuck.

If you can't even throw a ball,

just tell me and I'll do it myself. No problem.

-Are you okay? -No, I'm not okay.

Don't talk to me like that.

You're the one with no rhythm.

You're sluggish. You're not moving. Your aim is off.

It's not my fault.

What do you think?

Do you think I could win?

You can tell me. It's okay.

Well, I bet on Thosso.

A lot?

Quite a lot.

If I win, I'll pay your money back.

40-30.

Thomas Joseph Edison is one point away

from winning his first Grand Slam.

He's a rock.

Nothing can stop him.

Well, yeah, we all need to eat.

What's your game plan against Thosso?

I don't know. To be tougher mentally.

Shorten your exchanges as much as you can. He hates pressure.

Lift on his backhand above shoulder height.

Then move in.

Short chip backhand.

You'll get a few passing shots, but nothing too bad.

Lift, short chip,

passing shot.

It's hard to talk about anything else but tennis, isn't it?

You know it dates from 1991?

We built it for the ProKennex Challenge.

I won many Grand Slams against that wall.

You held endurance contests.

You always won.

But when you lost, you would hide behind the wall.

Everyone knew.

We all knew you were there, but we didn't dare say anything.

I don't remember.

And when I went to fetch you, you would be crying.

Inconsolable.

Until I took you to McDonald's.

I let you down after your semifinal

because I couldn't stand seeing you lose anymore.

You couldn't stand it for yourself or for me?

Live for yourself.

Today.

The little 11-year-old Thomas,

or the 17-year-old one, are proud of you now.

It's always the same. It'll never change.

You all still talk to me

as if I was still a little boy.

I'd love to live for myself now, Mom.

It's okay. You did a good job as a mother. All is well. I'm fine.

I know what I have to do.

So get off my back!

Your dumb memories, your 1991 wall,

and whatever else. It winds me up. I know what I have to do.

I'm not done yet. I can't explain why, but I'm not done.

At 37, Thomas Edison knows he isn't done.

It's tough enough without having to put up with

your regrets and weeping.

I am not done.

I'm sorry.

Stop clowning around!

Oh!

Come on!

Run.

Move your feet a little.

Come on, Thomas, be a bit more serious.

Very good.

If you want to be a top player, this is not the way, okay?

So tell me, Thomas, what do you want to be when you grow up?

So this…

this, and this…

Shit. Dammit!

Fuck!

2018 FRENCH OPEN / JUNIOR

Players are on their way. Two minutes.

FINALS FIRST ROUND

Players are coming out.

…Damien Thosso!

He used to be our most promising French player.

Away from top tournaments for too long,

but he's made it through the tough qualifiers.

You all know him.

Give a big round of applause to Thomas Edison.

Gentlemen, the match will be the best of five sets.

Tiebreak in the first four.

The fifth, if needed, is an advantage set.

-Mr. Edison? -Heads.

-Heads. -I'll serve.

I'll take this end.

Have a good match.

Three minutes.

START OF THE MATCH

Edison to serve.

Ready?

Play.

-Fault! -Fault!

Love-15.

Love-30.

Fault!

Fault!

Love-40.

Fault!

Game to Thosso.

One game to love, first set.

First set,

Thosso. Six games to one.

Time.

Thomas Edison serving to try to win

this decisive game in this second set.

There's a 20-year gap between the two players.

He's trying to get this with a volley. Great backhand.

It's in.

Yeah!

Come on!

And six games to five for Thomas.

Yes!

15-30.

Yeah!

15-40.

Game, second set, Edison.

Seven games to five. One set all.

30-15. Thosso to serve.

Come on!

-It's good. -Good play.

It stays in the court.

-Have some length. Some length. -Come on!

Oh no!

Perfect play.

Thomas is flagging.

He is flagging and Thosso is playing well again.

We see it with that forward transfer. He's back on track.

Game, third set to Thosso. Six games to four.

Thosso leads, two sets to one.

15-30.

He shouldn't think. Just fire back, forehand, wham!

Fault!

15-40.

Ouch! It's getting really tough for Thomas Edison.

Game point at four games to one for Thosso.

It's as good as a match point.

Yes, you're right, Lionel.

If he loses his serve,

he'll have a double break point against him.

It would be mission impossible.

30-40.

Deuce.

Advantage Edison.

Amazing comeback for Edison in this game.

He's saved two break points,

and he's about to return to 3-2 in this fourth set.

Game to Edison.

Thosso leads three games to two. Fourth set.

Time.

Thosso to serve.

-Come on. -Yeah!

What Edison did in this fourth set is amazing.

A terrific comeback.

Yes, indeed, it's remarkable.

Despite the extreme tension,

he's still playing beautifully.

These two French players are now neck-and-neck in this tiebreak.

Fault!

5-5.

Thosso!

6-5, Edison.

Thomas!

Silence, please.

Silence, please. The players are ready.

The players are now ready.

Game and fourth set to Edison.

Seven games to six. Two sets all.

Final set.

This is fantastic. No one would have thought

the game would take such a turn.

It was supposed to be a formality for Damien Thosso,

but 37-year-old Thomas Edison

takes everyone by surprise here at the French Open.

It's very impressive.

After all, he managed to come back

and draw level to two sets all.

And now with a new surge, he leads 5-4.

He's serving for the match.

He is four points from victory.

Only four points,

when a few days ago, absolutely no one

would have bet on this player.

Time.

Thomas Edison to serve.

Backhand.

-He did it. -It's in.

Great shot!

It's perfect, just perfect.

Thomas is putting up a real fight

with his first match point against Damien Thosso.

After playing four-and-a-half hours, the bold 37-year-old French player,

a surprise in the qualifiers,

could reach the second round of the French Open.

Edison!

Here we are at last, Arnaud.

First match point.

Oh, he gave his all.

Deuce.

He served well though and managed to make a great start,

but Damien Thosso got the upper hand in this exchange.

He took the initiative with his great forehand

that has powered his game.

That look and that clenched fist.

This is deuce. The fourth deuce so far.

Oh, what an angle!

He still has the energy to fight.

His arm still has the power for a short forehand shot.

They play very well.

His back to the wall, Damien Thosso musters the power

for this terrific cross-court forehand.

Come on!

The spectators are starting to go wild. Obviously, going wilder and wilder.

It's not so easy

to pick your side with two French players.

But it's the quality and intensity of play

that matters right now.

Break point.

It's in.

Oh yes, he seized his opportunity

and took the ball at the rebound.

Muscles are now starting to seize up.

Deuce.

Damien Thosso is starting to weaken physically.

He's on the ground. Has he got a cramp?

It does look like a cramp, yes. Look at him.

Gripping his leg.

It's crazy to see that, in the end,

the young player is the one who is snapping physically.

Yes. Thomas remains determined.

He isn't looking at Thosso.

And here we go again.

Wow!

Unbelievable effort to play that ball all while facing Thosso.

He made a poor start.

Despite the cramp, the pain,

and the fatigue, the crowd is still cheering him on.

He has their support,

and it heats things up,

even if it's hard to recover after.

Another break point,

grimacing in pain.

Not easy for Thomas Edison

to play an opponent who seems to be weakening.

His mind must be in turmoil.

Oh, an ace! An ace. He left him standing there.

He's also provoking his opponent a little.

An all-out battle despite both being French.

We're back at deuce for the sixth time.

Amazing!

He'll try anything for a second match point.

Extremely sharp tactics. He's displaying great lucidity.

Imagine the mental strain

of playing a shot like that in a fifth set

after playing for four-and-a-half hours.

Second match point.

-Second match point. -Fault!

That was just a few centimeters into the sidelines.

Moving on rapidly, get ready.

Fault!

-Deuce! -Oh boy. A double fault.

So much tension.

He should have paused between the first and second serve.

He tried though.

He hit the second ball harder than the previous ones.

We can tell this brief pause is also good for Damien.

What a dive!

A winning dive! Unbelievable.

Such courage! Damien Thosso plays with his heart.

And this time,

taking that point to the volley and stirring up the crowd.

A magnificent backhand slice

along the line.

He's so close to the boundary line.

Splendid cover there from him

with that terrific volley.

Advantage Thosso.

And the clay sticks to you.

A quick clean-up

before once again

trying to take his opponent's service

and reassert himself in this incredible ending.

Silence. The players are ready.

The spectators give them a little time to recover.

A serve and volley, straight in.

Oh yes!

-He's not afraid. -That took guts, guys.

And he surprised his opponent when he ran to the net.

He only did a few serve-and-volleys.

It's pretty daring to try it on this break point.

The fight, the determination,

the drive.

He's off.

And it's a third match point.

That was quite a heavy fall, wasn't it?

On the match point, he returns it, but he takes a fall.

Let's check the replay

to see what he did.

His knee.

His knee is already bandaged,

and we know the French player suffered a lot in his career

with knee and ligament trouble.

Everyone is a bit shocked right now to see

that Thomas isn't getting back up.

It would be terrible if it ended like this for Thomas

after putting in so much effort.

The spectators are holding their breath.

Damien has crossed the net.

The suffering is palpable.

It would be really terrible if it ended like this.

Wait.

Ladies and gentlemen, for medical reasons,

Mr. Edison is forced to concede…

Come on, Thomas!

Subtitle translation by: James Preston