'I always hoped for return' - line judge back on court after coma

When you ask Lucas Feron to discuss the street attack which left him in a coma, the young Frenchman bows his head.

"It is too painful, I don’t want to speak about it. I prefer not to and leave it behind," he told BBC Sport.

What the line judge wants to talk about is the present - becoming the first wheelchair user to officiate a French Open match on Court Philippe Chatrier - and the future.

Feron, 28, returned to Roland Garros' centre court when he called the lines during the women's third-round match between second seed Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa on Saturday.

He was back later that day - and into the early hours of Sunday morning - for Novak Djokovic's late-night contest against Lorenzo Musetti.

On Thursday, he officiated in the mixed doubles final.

"I want to be an inspiration for everyone. I want to leave my handicap behind me," said Feron, who will also work on the Paris 2024 Paralympics later this year.

"Every day we line judges have to perform on the court. If we want to go on the show court we have to do our job.

"All that matters is the chair umpire just needs a good decision."

Feron is an international-standard official whose promising career was halted when he was attacked in the French city of Poitiers in November 2022.

Local media reported, external Feron was dragged out of his car by a fellow motorist and violently assaulted in what was described as an unprovoked attack.

Feron was, by all accounts, simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

He spent one month in a coma afterwards.

After waking up, he spent more than a year in a rehabilitation unit in Nantes.

During this time is when he started dreaming of restarting his career in a job - and sport - he loves.

"I always hoped," said Feron, who now lives with his parents in his hometown of Les Sables-d’Olonne.

Before the attack, he called the lines in the 2018 French Open women's final and 2021 men's final, plus prestigious ATP finals in Monte Carlo and Bercy.

In 2021, he was awarded white badge status - putting him in the second tier of top international officials.

It has been an arduous road back for Feron, whose progress is being carefully managed by French Tennis Federation's officiating bosses.

Last year, Feron returned to Roland Garros in an exhibition match during the Yannick Noah charity day.

This year, he worked at an ATP Challenge event in Bordeaux, which he said helped "improve his eyes" on the ball.

His level was deemed good enough for the French Open, starting on the outside courts of the main-draw events before being promoted to Simonne Mathieu - the third show-court - and then Chatrier.

Feedback about a line judge's performance comes from a technical supervisor assigned to each court and the chair umpire of the match.

"We need to have excellent officiating on all courts, that’s the first thing for us," Jean-Patrick Reydellet, the French Open's chief of officiating, said.

"Lucas is there because he deserves it. Not because he is a wheelchair official. For us, this is very important."

Feron's quality of speech is not at the same level it was before the attack.

As well as having physio for his injuries four times a week, he continues to work with a speech therapist.

Therefore, he uses a microphone headset on court to amplify his calls to the chair umpire.

"He didn’t lose what he can see. It’s just the voice which needs to readjust," said Reydellet.

Seeing a line judge in a wheelchair at a Grand Slam for the first time has brought attention.

Djokovic hailed Feron on Twitter (formerly X), with the 24-time major champion saying it was "wonderful" to see him working.

"Very cool, very cool. I did not know this," said Feron, who looked amazed and broke into a broad smile.

Then, as ever, his professionalism kicked in and he stressed his impartiality.

"But I cannot tell you if he is a good player or not – because I am an official! I can say I think he is a good person."