For almost two years,  Julien Seurin  has integrated mental preparation into his daily life as a professional player. Now accompanied by  Jean-Michel Pequery who also works with his partner  Johan Bergeron The Frenchman explains why he made this choice, how this support is taking place and what objectives have been set for his new pair.

"In padel, I started to lose confidence."

 Why did you decide to work with a mental coach? 

In tennis, I considered my mental game to be one of my strengths, and I had already worked with someone on that aspect. In padel, at the beginning, it's quite easy to pick up points and rankings. But at some point, you reach your level and you don't necessarily get the results you were hoping for anymore.

I started losing close matches, especially three-set matches, and losing confidence. Since I was based at an academy in Spain and wanted to give myself every chance of success, working on my mental game became a logical step.

"I needed someone who knew about padel."

 Why was Jean-Michel Pequery chosen? 

I had already been working with a mental coach for about a year. But I wanted someone who knew more about padel and, above all, who had gone through some of the stages I was facing.

I needed to feel that the person truly understood the issues of the circuit.

 In practical terms, how do you work together? 

Before a match, we can discuss my form, my confidence, and the objectives. Afterwards, we debrief what happened.

We also hold one or two sessions per week on specific topics:  confidence, visualization, mental imagery…  But there's also a lot of interaction. It allows you to have someone to talk freely with about padel, the sensations and the difficulties.

"He was the one who told me that Jo was looking for a partner."

 Pequery also works with Johan Bergeron. Did that play a role in your partnership? 

Yes. Initially, I was even a little reluctant to have the same mental coach as other players I might face.

Finally, it was Jean-Michel who called me to tell me that  Jo was looking for a partner .

Once the pair was formed, the three of us had a call to define our objectives and what we expected from this partnership.

 So you also work on the mental aspect of the pair? 

Occasionally. We can talk about very concrete things:  What do I expect from Jo when he's not doing well? What does he expect from me when I'm going through a difficult time? 

The main objective is to verify that we are on the same page. After that, the work remains mostly individual because we don't necessarily have the same issues.

Julien Seurin opens up about his mental state: "There are far more doubts than moments of happiness."

"Our goal: 14 points per tournament"

 What objectives have you set for Seurin / Bergeron? 

We prefer to have measurable objectives in terms of results. In particular, we have set ourselves an average of  14 points per tournament .

I've never really liked setting myself a ranking goal because it also depends on what you did the previous year. The points earned tournament after tournament allow you to measure your performance much more directly.

 Is the top 100 still a goal? 

Yes the  top 100  It certainly remains an important step. But I prefer to think in terms of performance, results, or tournaments I want to be able to participate in, rather than simply saying to myself: "I have to be 90th in the world."

And it also allows us to objectively evaluate our relationship. There's no point in saying we'll stay together for six months if it's not working out.

"The hardest thing is not having a goal."

 You also went through a difficult period with your knee. How did you cope with it mentally? 

After returning from Australia in early 2025, I experienced knee pain. I would resume training, the pain would return, and I would have to stop again.

After the French Team Championships, I finally took  four to five weeks without playing  to treat me.

But what's hardest for me isn't necessarily being injured.  It's about not having a goal. That's where it can become mentally difficult. 

"I don't know if I could do one without the other."

 Does your YouTube channel and your activity as a content creator add extra pressure? 

I don't really feel that way. On the contrary, I don't know if I could do one without the other.

In tennis, my best period also coincided with the time when I was studying at the same time.  I've never been very good at giving 100% in sports. 

I need to have that balance and other things on the side.

"There are far more doubts than moments of happiness."

 Why is mental preparation still rarely discussed by players? 

Perhaps because there is still this idea that working with a mental coach means having a weakness.

However, a great many players are accompanied. And the reality for an athlete is that there are  Very few moments of happiness compared to moments of doubt and uncertainty .

We need to learn to manage defeats, confidence, and periods when results aren't coming. For me, today,  Hiring a mental coach is completely commonplace. 

Raphael Degironde

As a padel fan and player, I scan the padel scene: Beware, you are being watched!

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