Bordeaux P2: How French padel wants to emerge from the Spanish-Argentine shadow

Faced with Spanish and Argentinian domination, France is patiently building its future on the world circuit by sowing its seeds. It hopes to become a real contender in major tournaments like Bordeaux.

Padel has been a land conquered by Spain and Argentina for several decades. A quick glance at the world rankings will convince you of this. In the top 50, only five players don't fly the Iberian or Albiceleste flag. Among the world's top twenty players, only Brazilian Lucas Bergamini is holding out. And what about France?

Only one representative appears in the top 100: Thomas Leygue (88th). Victim of a ruptured Achilles tendon a week before the tournament, the French No. 1 is not present in Bordeaux, even though he is constantly rising in the world rankings. In the women's category, there are three French players in the top 100 in the world, with Alix Collombon in 24th place in a ranking, again, largely dominated by Spain and Argentina.

"They were the forerunners in the development of padel," observes Bastien Blanqué, ranked 108th in the world with his partner Johan Bergeron, beaten in the first round Monday in Bordeaux ... by an Argentinian pair. The Toulouse native, however, insists he is not frustrated by the domination of these two nations. At 30, he has been one of the pioneers of French padel for several years on the world circuit and "knows all the problems." "The most frustrating thing for us is that we don't give enough space to the French, the Swedes, the Italians, the Brazilians... This year, they reduced the draws for reasons of profitability and because the world's best protested. Access is more restricted than before to challenge the world's best. The frustration is seeing that the game is no longer the priority of the International Federation (FIP) and Premier Padel (which governs the world circuit)."

It's difficult to gauge the gap between them and the big names when you're not invited to face them regularly. To carve out a place in the Spanish-Argentine jungle, Bastien Blanqué and the French didn't hesitate to cross the Pyrenees. The Toulouse native lived in Madrid for five years, until 2022, while waiting for French infrastructure to develop. He returned to his homeland three years ago. "Even if that doesn't stop us from seeking out what's good in Spain, we have everything we need now in France," he says.

Under the umbrella of the opulent French Tennis Federation, French padel has grown, culminating in the opening of a national training center in Vichy in September: 12 courts, modern facilities, and medical staff. "For young people, it's a godsend," emphasizes Bastien Blanqué. With the FFT boasting 100,000 padel licensees, more than 500,000 players, and a desire to rejuvenate the base to train the champions of tomorrow, the CNE comes at just the right time. "We didn't have any of that when we started. Young people will just have to think about padel and go to tournaments. It's an ideal springboard to aim high, and it's the first generation to benefit from it."

The FFT is advocating patience in a world where France is still in its infancy. For Arnaud Di Pasquale , former director of the padel mission at the Federation: "This is only the beginning, and our growth is still quite phenomenal."