Diane Parry launched the French team perfectly by beating Briton Katie Boulter 6-2, 6-0, and gave Les Bleues the first point in their qualifying match for the Billie Jean King Cup, Friday at Portel.
Broken from the start and trailing 2-0, Diane Parry, in difficulty on her first balls at the start of the match, nevertheless held on against Boulter, against whom she had lost twice last year during their only face-to-face.
Helped by her aesthetic — and no less effective — one-handed backhand, the 21-year-old from Nice, 49th player in the world, gradually gained the upper hand in the baseline exchanges, to the point of overturning the set with six games won in a row.
On her momentum, she did not lose a game of the match, sweeping aside Boulter, 27 years old and 28th in the world, to bring France the first point without trembling.
In the second meeting of the day, French N.1 Caroline Garcia faces Emma Raducanu, back in the British team after a season spoiled by injuries.