PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain took its Champions League success to the French Open on Monday when star striker Ousmane Dembélé raised the trophy to tennis fans.
Sporting sunglasses, Dembélé walked on to the sun-bathed clay in Court Philippe-Chatrier. As he held the trophy aloft he shouted “Ici c'est Paris!” (This is Paris!) — one of the favorite chants of PSG fans. Some of the crowd joined in a brief rendition of it.
Dembélé was a key part of the PSG team which routed Inter Milan 5-0 on Saturday to win the Champions League for the first time. He set up one of the two goals scored by rising star Désiré Doué.
After Dembélé walked off, on came 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and Cameron Norrie for their fourth-round match at Roland-Garros.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi was in the crowd and he has an expert eye as as a former professional player.
“It was an incredible season for PSG, so congratulations to all the PSG fans and my friend Nasser,” Djokovic said after routing Cameron Norrie for his 100th victory at Roland-Garros. “It was very important for the city to have PSG as a Champions League winner for the first time.”
The 51-year-old Al-Khelaïfi played two ATP tour matches, including a loss to 1995 French Open champion Thomas Muster, and played for Qatar in the Davis Cup.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Jerome Pugmire, The Associated Press
