A.S.Co.T.
A.S.Co.T. XVI - Monaco 2010
From Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th of September 2010 
From Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th of September, took place in the Principality of Monaco for the second time in a row the yearly A.S.Co.T. Club men doubles tennis which opposes 12 teams from different nations. This sixteenth edition went off on the prestigious clay courts of the Monte-Carlo Country Club which also welcomes every year in April the International Open Masters Series 1000, one of the ten biggest tournaments in the world.
On Friday 3rd, all players, accompanying persons and supporters met at the Yacht Club of Monaco at the occasion of a « Welcome Cocktail ». Among the members and friends of the A.S.Co.T. Club and beside Prince Aimery de POLIGNAC (A.S.Co.T. President of the Advisory Board Committee), his wife Princess Isabelle and their daughter Princess Aurelia, one could note the presence of:
- Count François d'ANSEMBOURG and spouse the artist painter Viscountess Ariane de ROSMORDUC
- Baron Philipp von BECHTHOLSHEIM
- Dott. Marco ASQUINI and girlfriend Stefania MARCUZZI
- Count Stefan ORSSICH (Team Hispania Captain)
- Judge Jean-Claude BONICHOT (official representative of France at the European Justice Court in Luxembourg) and spouse Anne-Elisabeth
- Sir Charles de FABRIBECKERS and spouse Princess Anne de LIGNE
- Mrs Josie-Marianne GRAAS-LANNERS
- Viscount Rodrigo PORTO da CRUZ and spouse Viscountess Laure
- Marquis Mariano FONTECILLA y LIRA de MONTEPÍO
- Mr Laurent de RICARD and spouse Donatella
- Count Frédéric CH. de VILLENEUVE and spouse Countess Albane
- Mr Sébastien KNECHT de MASSY (Team Monaco Captain) and spouse Donatella
On Saturday morning, the tennis games started at 9:00. H.S.H. Prince Albert II of MONACO played like in the previous year with Count Charles Eric du BEDIESSE (A.S.Co.T. Club Founder Chairman) and lead the Monegasque banner to a first victory against Barbarians Jacques OUWERX (A.S.Co.T. Club U.K. Ambassador) and Jonathan O'DONOGHUE.
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The Team Monaco
From left to right:
Etienne RUDZIC, Thierry DEGIOVANNI, Lucas CATARINA, HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, Yann BERTRAND,
Stéphane LFOREST de MINOTTY, Sébastien KNECHT de MASSY (Team Monaco Captain).
HSH Prince Albert stayed for lunch presiding unformally over a table of twelve. All were charmed by The Prince's kindness. Under the leadership of Sébastien KNECHT de MASSY (a cousin to the Prince) , Team Monaco finished first of its group after a day marked by the usual excellent sporting and friendly A.S.Co.T. spirit.
After this first athletic and sunny day, all members, friends and supporters of the A.S.Co.T. Club, some 150 people coming from all over Europe, including three from the Bahamas, two from Dubai ans last but not least one with his family from New-York, gathered together on the completely renovated terrace of the M.C.C.C. for a sun downer cocktail before the opening of the traditional Players’ Dinner .
Later, despite seven hours spent on the tennis courts, the tireless ASCoTians headed to the famous Jimmy’z club, where they danced until dawn...
On Sunday, regardless of this brief night, all players were on time at 9 AM on the magnificent clay courts of M.C.C.C. for the final rounds. Again, all the matches were played in the typical A.S.Co.T. spirit. Monaco, lead by team captain Sébastin KNECHT de MASSY (a cousin of HSH Prince Albert II) reached the finale which they eventually lost to 2009 defending champion Scandinavia. At the occasion of the traditional prize ceremony, the winner team received from Princess Aurélia de POLIGNAC the Louisenlund Cup 1992. The event was closed by Sébastien KNECHT de MASSY, who in the name of his cousin HSH Prince Albert II, the Monaco team and the M.C.C.C. suggested that the 2011 challenge should again take place in the Principality. The idea was unanimously welcome by the 150 ASCoTians with massive applause.
From left to right: Eric SEIGLE-MURANDI (Deputy Director of MCCC), Luc WEITZEL (ASCoT Vice-President), Francis TRUCHI (Director of MCCCC), Mikael HASSLEGREN, Lars von RUDOLPH (Scandinavia Team Captain), Alexander MILLES, Princess Aurélia de POLIGNAC, Alexander THAMS, Stefan ENGSTRAND, Jacques OUWERX (ASCoT UK Ambassador).
Contact:
A.S.Co.T. Press Attaché
Fabien WEYDERS
E-mail: press.attache@ascot-club.eu
