Contrasting day for French men’s judo. If a beautiful ray of sunshine came from Romain Valadier Picard, who won the bronze medal in the less than 60 kilos category, two black clouds dominated the first day of the Grand Slam in Baku, Azerbaijan. The first came from Luka Mkheidze, the bronze medalist of the last Tokyo Olympic Games who lost in his second fight in less than 60 kilos also against the Russian Gamzat Zairbekov, who fought under a neutral flag. The second came with the elimination of Walide Khyar in less than 66 kilos in the 3rd round, the Frenchman losing to the Japanese Takeshi Takeoka.