The French women’s tennis team lost their play-off against Colombia (3-2) and left the BJK Cup elite, on Sunday after losing the decisive doubles match in Sopo, near Bogotá.

Without France’s N.1 Diane Parry, who was injured on Saturday after winning her singles match, the French pair Clara Burel and Chloé Paquet lost in 2 sets (6-3, 6-4), after singles losses for Varvara Gracheva and Clara Burel to Colombian N.1 Camila Osorio.

The weekend got off to a good start with Diane Parry headlining the French team led by Julien Benneteau. After two games of practice, she took the measure of Emiliana Arango, who was too soft and defensive, conceding six games in a row. But in the first game of the second set against the 180th-ranked player in the world, she collapsed, holding her left knee after recovering from a high ball. Strapped up, she finally resumed the match, which she struggled to win 6-2, 6-4, visibly diminished.

On Sunday, she gave way to Varvara Gracheva for the third singles after Osorio (63rd), who defeated Burel (74th) in two sets 6-4, 7-5, levelled for Colombia. “I’m fine, it’s pretty reassuring how I feel today compared with yesterday after the match and when I was on the floor. We’ve ruled out quite a few serious possibilities, and I’ll be doing further tests in France.“explained Diane Parry to AFP, saying she preferred to give France “a maximum chance by putting Varvara on today, sure that she’ll be at 1,000% on the court”.“.

But Gracheva was no match for the Colombian leader, who was given a mission and finally lined up in the decisive doubles. The great lady of the weekend dominated Gracheva in two sets. Confirming her break point in the sixth game (4-2), she took off to win the first set, with Varvara Gracheva struggling to keep up with the exchanges on the clay of Sopo, at an altitude of 2,600 metres, on the outskirts of Bogotá.

The Colombian alternated shots, varying her game throughout the rally, and served for the match. Condemned to attack, the Frenchwoman saw two forehands stay in the net, but saved her first match point with a backhand acceleration down the line. She finally broke on her second opportunity. But once again she lost her serve, and at 30-40 her easy smash went out of bounds. Camila Osorio didn’t let this second chance go to waste and finally won 7 games to 5, recovering from two break points.

Heads down

With her back against the wall in fourth singles, Clara Burel came from behind to defeat Emiliana Arango, the 24-year-old Colombian who had improved with each match. Thanks in particular to her second-ball returns (and Arango’s 11 double faults), Burel finally won in two sets, 7-5, 6-4.

It all came down to the doubles, where Burel finally took the place originally intended for Gracheva, alongside Chloé Paquet. The Colombian pair got into the match better, with Emiliana Arango raising her game and, above all, her serve. The Colombians broke in the fourth game to win 6-3. Solid, especially on Paquet’s serve, the French came back from a break down in the second set to lead 3-2, then 4-2 when they took Osorio’s serve after she double-faulted three long balls.

But Burel, still struggling with her first ball, immediately lost the lead and Colombia, saving two break points on her serve, rallied to 4 all before serving for the match. The first match point stuck in the net. The second was the winner, Paquet’s return flying into the net. The Colombians exulted, the French left with their heads down.