Former players Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (ex-N.5 in the world) and Thierry Ascione (ex-N.81), who was the coach of the former, inaugurated their tennis and padel academy on Wednesday at the OL Vallée site in Décines-Charpieu (Metropolis of Lyon).
Among the facilities grouped together on a 3.5 hectare site purchased from OL Groupe, there is a covered hall with eight courts and three padel tracks, twelve outdoor tennis courts as well as a center with a capacity of 1,000 places, a swimming pool of 25 m and a boarding school with 80 beds.
Tsonga, Ascione and their partner Patrick Bouchet, an entrepreneur from Lyon, hold 51% of the capital. They invested 30 million euros, including 10 million euros in equity and 20 million euros borrowed from the Banque des Territoires (Caisse des Dépôts), which holds 49% of the shares.
“My dream was to create a place of success where everyone can find their place. My parents were teachers and transmission is more and more important in my life. Will we be able to release a future champion? It is our deepest dream,” said Tsonga.
The latter and Ascione already run an “All In” academy in Villeneuve-Loubet (Alpes-Maritimes) and another in the Paris region but which will close.
