The centre court at Roland Garros, home to the French tennis open, is usually the setting for sporting combat. In late August, however, the clay court was transformed into a stage for a different contest: a debate between political leaders, hosted by MEDEF, the employers’ federation. Among the six participants laying out their case to the country’s grands patrons was the rising star of the hard-right National Rally (RN): its party president, Jordan Bardella (pictured).