Tunisia's Echargui gets chance to realise Olympic dream

LONDON : As a tennis-mad teenager growing up near Tunis it was always Moez Echargui's dream to play at Roland Garros but having entered the professional ranks relatively late it looked as though it might never be realised.

In July, however, the 31-year-old will step on to the hallowed red clay courts after sealing a place at the Paris Olympics following his title run at the African Games.

His victory over Zimbabwe's Benjamin Lock in the final in Ghana all but guaranteed Echargui a place in the draw for the Olympic tennis event courtesy of the International Tennis Federation handing spots to continental champions.

The former University of Nevada student must still make sure his world ranking remains inside the top 400 by the cut-off but with his current position just outside the top 300 that looks virtually assured.

Echargui, who will be the only male player from Africa to compete in the Olympic tennis event, admits it took a while for the enormity of his achievement to sink in.

Speaking by phone to Reuters during an ATP Challenger Tour event in South Korea, Echargui recalled the double joy of becoming African champion and qualifying for Paris.

"People were coming to congratulate me and I had a multitude of feelings like of joy and excitement and time stood still for that moment," Echargui, who trains at the MXP Academy in Milan, said. "I was in the sky, not really realising what was going on.

"But I remember after when I got back and called my parents and everyone was in tears at that moment. It's such a big accomplishment."

Echargui has never set foot on Roland Garros so the fact the Olympic tournament is being staged at a venue he used to watch on television will make his Olympic appearance even more special.

"The last two