The French Open Seen By Philippe Dupuy and Charles Berberian

SPORTS / TENNIS : ROLAND-GARROS / "Un Autre Regard" by Dupuy & Berberian / The French Open Seen By Philippe Dupuy and Charles Berberian

One of history's little ironies: Philippe Dupuy and Charles Berberian met in 1983, the year of Yannick Noah's victory at the French Open. They've been drawing together ever since, a doubles team playing as one. In their illustrations you can't tell whose lines belong to whom. Their pencils land with the clean precision of a tennis champion's serve, wit volleys with insight. Dupuy and Berberian's drawings stand out from the competition. In 2008 they won the grand prize at the Angoulême illustration festival.Dupuy and Berberian don't play tennis — they're not willing to risk injury to their drawing hands — but they're not happy about it. "I love this sport," Charles Berberian admits. "When NESPRESSO gave me the opportunity to attend the French Open, I realised what a privilege it was for me. To be here in the Roland Garros statium is really great. I'm watching the actual championships for the first time — it's a whole different world."Some of their books have included tennis illustrations — "Heroes Never Die," for example, or "Spirit, Are You There?". For NESPRESSO, Charles Berberian and Philippe Dupuy have imagined an anti-hero who poses as John McEnroe to penetrate the French Open's inner sanctum. The pair have already seen part of their dream become reality. They've basked in the luxury of the VIP sofas at the NESPRESSO stand, the best seats at the tournament.Look for Charles Berberian and Philippe Dupuy's illustrations on Nespresso's "Ultimate Events" website, beginning May 29th and continuing to the end of the Roland-Garros French Open.