Line judge Lucas Feron returns to French Open after brutal attack

PARIS — When Lucas Feron, 28, walked onto Court Philippe Chatrier at the French Open during the match between Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa, his life came full circle. “He’s here because he deserves it,” said Jean-Patrick Reydellet, the head of umpires at Roland Garros.

Feron has been here before, as a key figure on the Roland Garros referee team in the 2018 women’s and 2021 men’s finals. He stood on the baseline and watched every turn of the ball. Determined to give it his all until the Paris Olympics, he spent 35 weekends a year honing his craft. Then, in November 2022, he was the victim of a brutal attack and has been in a wheelchair ever since.

But almost two years later, he is back on the tournament field doing what he loves more than anything else. “I want to be an inspiration for everyone,” Feron told ESPN.

Feron has always loved tennis. He played the sport, but then tried his hand at refereeing at the age of 14. He took the next steps and achieved the highest refereeing qualification – the international white badge for referees – in 2021. He has been a regular on the tour, as a linesman at the Monte Carlo Masters, the Paris Masters and Roland Garros.

But then came the night of November 20, 2022. He was attacked in Poitiers – a city about 340 kilometers southwest of Paris. The violence put him in a coma for a month and impaired his neurological abilities. “It’s too painful, I don’t want to talk about it,” Feron said. “I prefer not to do it and put it behind me.”

He spent a year in a rehabilitation center in Nantes, with tireless physiotherapy and speech therapy. After a year there, he moved back to his family in Les Sables d’Olonne. And throughout his rehabilitation, he held on to his dream of returning to what he loved.

“I always hoped to be involved in tennis again,” he said.

All the while, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) kept in touch with him. They invited him to Yannick Noah Day, a day of charity matches at Roland Garros – to see how he would do. “He fought, but he couldn’t work last year,” said Reydellet. “But when he saw it, it was a huge improvement to make… it was good training.”

This year he has been back on the tour a little more, playing in a tournament in Poitiers and a Challenger event in Bordeaux, and his results earned him another chance to become a linesman at Roland Garros. (Linesmen are judged on “good technique, good voice, good image and good decision-making,” Reydellet said.)

“I played a good tournament and improved my eyesight to see the ball,” Feron said. “I had eye contact with the ball. What I lack is the voice because I have to call loudly and clearly. I don’t have the volume to call the balls.”

While his voice was heard in Bordeaux, the noise from Chatrier drowned him out. That’s why he wears a microphone at Roland Garros. Every shout is then transmitted directly to the umpire from the microphone on the lapel of his sweater.

He started on the outside courts at Roland Garros, but after good marks moved on to Simone Mathieu’s third show court. He said getting there from the other side of the grounds was “good practice.” Then came his return to Chatrier for Sabalenka’s win on Saturday. He was also there as part of the team for Novak Djokovic’s early morning match against Lorenzo Musetti.

Reydellet said Feron has not lost his instincts or his ability to make the sharpest decisions. Feron interrupted. “All umpires can still improve.” Feron was part of the team that refereed the mixed doubles final at Chatrier on Thursday, but he still dreams of making the team for the women’s or men’s singles final. “I hope so, but it’s not my decision,” he said.

He has already gained some fans at this tournament. Djokovic saw a tweet about him earlier in the tournament and shared his support.

When Feron spoke to ESPN on Thursday, his face lit up when he saw Djokovic’s feedback. “Ah yes! That’s very cool, very cool. I didn’t know that information.” But then came the clarification: “I can’t tell you whether he’s a good player or not – because I’m an official.”