Former professional handball player and double Olympic champion, Jerome Fernandez has never concealed his passion for padel. Guest again this year at Human Padel from Toulouse to the Cupra All Star Padel Ranges, the former left-back of the France team had the opportunity to share, at the microphone of Padel Magazine, the origin of his affection for the little yellow ball.

Padel Magazine : When did you discover the padel ?

Jerome Fernandez "I discovered the padel while I was playing in Barcelona in the early 2000s, it was the great boom of padel there and I started playing a lot. I left Spain in 2010 and when I returned to France in 2011 I told myself that at the end of my career I would try and I would go all out. "

Jerome Fernandez Cupra All Star Padel Game 2

"I finished my career in Aix-en-Provence, I became a coach, and when I stopped working for the club in 2020, my deputy who was Spanish and myself found ourselves unemployed. We then decided to embark on the padel. Since August 2020 we started playing, I became addicted and I try to organize myself to play three, four times a week.

Padel Magazine : Who was your best or your best partner?

Jerome Fernandez "The previous year, I enjoyed myself with Charlotte Soubrié and we faced Benjamin Tison and Thierry Omeyer. The other pair was Yann Auradou / Olivier Dacourt. I really enjoyed the experience. From time to time, I have the chance to be invited to events where professional players are present. It's a real pleasure to watch them play, but it's even more exciting to play against them.”

"For example, in Aix-en-Provence, I had the opportunity to play against Laura Clergue. She was in my diagonal and at first you might think you can just hit the balls harder and everything will pass. But in reality, she knows how to position herself perfectly and completely exhausts you.

Padel Magazine : What is your biggest strength in the padel ?

Jerome Fernandez:My greatest strength is my size and I know how to take advantage of it. I also find myself quite mobile and often people think that by playing under my feet or having me defend it will break my game. However, I have progressed a lot at this level, especially since I started to play on the right.”

Jerome Fernandez - Vincent Clerc Cupra All Star Padel Ranges

"Overall, I feel pretty comfortable on the court. On the other hand, I have a big weak point, it's my backhand volley. I think I'm getting to a level where I'm going to have to take lessons, but with very good teachers!”

Padel Magazine : You are not the only handball player to like the padel, we also noticed that Valentin Porte enjoys this sport. He even invites himself on the P500.

Jerome Fernandez: "Valentin has an excellent level, while he is still in his career, I don't know where he finds the time to play!”

"There is also Rémi Desbonnet, the goalkeeper of the France team who is playing really well. It is true that these are templates that are comfortable in all sports. At padel they are good because they are young and in full physical maturity. Personally, I would have liked to practice the padel at their age, or even younger, because it would have been a complementary activity to handball for me."

Padel Magazine : What is your goal for this tournament?

Jerome Fernandez - Vincent Clerc Cupra All Star Padel Game 2

Jerome Fernandez "The goal with Vincent (Cleric) is really about having fun, especially since we've never played together. There are players like Florent Sinama Pongolle, Robert Pirès who are doing quite well. But I think the level of the teams is relatively balanced, so there is a way to have fun.

Padel Magazine : Vincent (Cleric) told us not to lose against Cartman

Jerome Fernandez: "We will study the other teams and like any player padel who wants to win, we will play on the weak points (laughs).”

To see the full interview it's right here.

Vincent Gallie

A fan of oval football, round ball but also racket sports, he was stung by the padel during his adolescence in Galicia. As comfortable in front of the camera as behind a microphone, Vince will be able to bring his vision and expertise as a fan of the little yellow ball.

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