Enzo Couacaud: from professional tennis to padel, a transition built far from clichés

À Marnes-la-Coquette amidst the qualifications of the FIP Bronze A familiar face in French tennis inevitably attracts attention. A former ATP world top-ranked player, Enzo Couacaud He is gradually discovering a new life on the padel courts. A transition that might seem logical from the outside, given how many former tennis players try their hand at it. Yet, in his case, the story is much more personal.

Behind the first tournaments and the beginnings on the circuit lies above all a player in full reconstruction, who is still moving forward with caution, lucidity and a lot of curiosity around a sport that he is learning to understand on a daily basis.

A retirement from tennis that changed everything

When Enzo Couacaud ended his tennis career, it wasn't out of weariness. The Frenchman was coming out of a very difficult period physically and even imagined that racket sports were now a thing of the past.

"I had kind of resigned myself to the idea that intensive racquet sports were over for me," he says.

For several months, he almost completely disconnected from that world. Padel then gradually entered his life, almost by chance, through friends and moments that were much more social than competitive.

What initially appealed to him wasn't the high level of competition. It was the atmosphere surrounding the sport. The accessible, collective aspect, the simple pleasure of sharing a court with friends and family who didn't necessarily have the skill level to play tennis with him.

Then his personal situation changed. A professional project outside of sports ultimately fell through, and Couacaud went through a period of reflection. The idea of returning to live in Mauritius emerged, before another path slowly began to take shape.

Mauritius is ablaze for a historic weekend with two major tournaments bringing together Mauritius, Reunion Island and Madagascar

The Spanish breakthrough with Pablo Ayma

Before his planned departure for Mauritius, several close friends advised him to spend a few days in Spain to explore the world of padel more thoroughly. The idea at that time was absolutely not to launch a new career.

"My wish was for leisure and to discover the sport, absolutely nothing more," he explains.

But once there, his encounter with Pablo Ayma The French national team coach gradually changed his perspective. Through training sessions and discussions, the Spanish coach made him understand that he might possess real potential in this sport.

"He managed to put a little something into my head," Couacaud smiled.
"He told me: if you really put your mind to it, you might not play too badly."

The Frenchman then began to look at padel differently. Not yet as a fully defined project, but at least as a credible avenue to explore.

A tennis player who refuses to "distort" his game

In his analysis of modern padel, Enzo Couacaud already displays a very interesting perspective on the game. Where many former tennis players immediately seek to copy the typical profiles of Spanish padel, he wants to preserve part of its identity.

He obviously acknowledges the shortcomings related to his recent learning of the sport, particularly in the work on the glass and defense at the back of the track. "The glass is clearly the most complex part," he admits.

But he also refuses to fall into certain clichés about players who come from tennis.

For him, modern padel isn't just about defending behind the baseline. He even cites the example of Ale Galán whom he considers to be "the most complete player in the world".

"Even the best sometimes choose to play live rather than defend against the glass," he explains.
"If they're doing it, it's for a reason."

A very modern vision of the game, where aggression, quick transitions and the ability to take the ball early remain of paramount importance.

A more serious project in Spain

Even though he still talks about padel today with a lot of perspective, Couacaud is now moving forward with real objectives.

The Frenchman works in Barcelona with his Spanish partner. Miquel Ayats , in a project that he himself describes as "much more professional" than his first tournaments played in France.

The immediate objective remains, above all, progress: to become more complete, to enrich one's game and to better understand the specific tactical requirements of padel.

But Couacaud also makes no secret of his ambition. If his level becomes consistent with the requirements of the FIP circuit, he clearly plans to launch himself more seriously into international tournaments.

His experience at the very highest level in tennis already greatly influences his approach to work.

"I don't do anything without objectives," he insists.
"I enjoy working, finding solutions, and understanding how to improve."

Enzo Couacaud: from professional tennis to padel, a transition built far from clichés

Djokovic, the injury, and what top-level competition has left him with

It's obviously difficult not to revisit his past as a professional tennis player. During the interview, Couacaud notably mentions his famous match against Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open.

But in hindsight, the Frenchman refuses to make it a completely separate moment.

"The next day, I had the same life," he says with great simplicity.
"I was in front of my computer watching a series and eating my plate of pasta."

However, he reveals today a detail that he had never really talked about during his career: at that time, he was going through a huge physical problem and had lost several kilos before Melbourne.

Having managed to qualify under those circumstances remains one of his proudest memories. Not so much for the match against Djokovic itself, but for what it represents mentally.

"I knew there was a good chance I would get injured," he explains.
And that's exactly what happens from the very first plays of the match.

Yet, despite the pain and his already very fragile body, he continued. In hindsight, Couacaud sees this experience primarily as a demonstration of resilience and the ability to push back certain mental limits.

"It showed me that we were capable of going further than we thought possible."

Reinventing oneself again and again

Today, this experience at the highest level inevitably informs his approach to padel. But even more than the technical or tactical aspects, Couacaud emphasizes something deeper: managing moments of weakness.

For him, in individual sports like tennis or padel, the difference often lies in the ability to get through difficult periods without losing focus.

"We all have our low points. We can't be perfect," he explains.
"Managing them well can prevent losing a lot of matches."

He also mentions the importance of “trainability”: the ability to listen, to accept the work required and to progress within a specific framework.

But behind all this, what you sense most is a constant need in him to start over. Before padel, he had already tried grappling. More recently, he also signed up for an Ironman.

"I like to reinvent myself," he confides.

Padel therefore represents much more than a simple career change for a former tennis player. It is a new learning ground, with its own rules, frustrations, discoveries and challenges.

And that's probably what makes this transition particularly interesting to follow.

Maceo ZERHAT

Maceo Zerhat discovered padel in 2020 in Savigny-sur-Clairis, Burgundy. He contributed to the club's expansion by bringing his energy and curiosity. Padel Magazinehe transmits his Padel"mania" by skillfully bouncing on all the latest news about your favorite sport!