In this final part of his interview given to  Padel Magazine  during the P2000 of  WinWin Padel Cabriès Laurent Aznar returns to another major issue: the organization of the French calendar. The proliferation of tournaments, the role of the Leagues, the development of private clubs, dialogue with independent structures, the future of Roland-Garros and the place of outdoor padel… The president of the Federal Commission shares his vision of a sport that continues to grow at a very rapid pace.

"The Leagues will play a key role in organizing the competitions."

 Padel Magazine :  The number of tournaments is exploding all over France. How can we prevent some competitions from ending up in direct competition with each other?

 Laurent Aznar:  This is indeed one of the major challenges of the coming years.

The development of padel is extremely rapid. Today, we have tens of thousands of sanctioned tournaments each year, and this growth requires all stakeholders to adapt.

The Leagues will have a major role to play.

They will need to ensure better harmonisation of their schedules in order to avoid several important competitions being organised simultaneously in the same territory.

The goal is not to prevent clubs from offering tournaments.

On the contrary.

We simply want to avoid the competitions cannibalizing each other.

"Each league can adapt its operations."

Some leagues have already started to implement their own rules.

For example, we see Leagues that limit the organization of P500 events on certain days of the week or that seek to better distribute competitions.

This is a good thing.

The realities are not the same everywhere in France.

The Leagues therefore have some leeway to adapt their organization to the needs of their territory.

"The word 'unlimited' is sometimes confusing."

 The rule allowing certain clubs to organize a very large number of tournaments is currently being debated. 

I think above all that the term “unlimited” is sometimes misinterpreted.

It does not mean that a club can organize absolutely anything it wants without any control.

In all cases, approvals go through the Leagues or the Committees.

They are the ones who must verify that the schedule remains consistent.

Once again, the goal is to maintain a balance.

Four people posing with padel paddles and trophies at an outdoor awards event, smiling near sponsor banners.

"Yes, a League can decide to limit the number of competitions."

 Could a League decide to limit the number of tournaments organized by the same club? 

Yes.

This is a subject that can definitely be studied.

Some people do indeed want to further regulate the number of competitions organized per structure.

These thoughts exist.

It will then be up to the Leagues to determine the solutions best suited to their territory.

"Sometimes fewer tournaments, but full draws, are better."

Today, some clubs are struggling to fill their competitions.

This is not good for anyone.

Not for the organizers.

Not for the players.

Nor for the level of athletic performance.

If several similar tournaments are scheduled at the same time in the same geographical area, each one loses participants.

We therefore prefer to consider a better distribution.

The goal is for the competitions to be full and attractive.

Sometimes it's better to organize slightly fewer tournaments, but offer full draws.

Everyone wins.

"Private clubs have become essential partners."

 The new national association of private structures recently met with the Federation. What is the status of the discussions? 

We have indeed begun working together.

Two meetings have already taken place.

A third one is planned during the Alpine Paris Major.

Representatives from private clubs presented us with a dozen proposals.

Some are more complex to implement.

Others clearly deserve to be studied.

Our aim is to build a lasting relationship.

The development of padel in France necessarily requires collective work between the Federation and private structures.

"We are looking for win-win solutions."

Our goal is not to pit the different actors against each other.

Quite the contrary.

We want to build solutions that benefit everyone.

The Federation needs private clubs.

Private clubs also need the Federation.

Dialogue is therefore essential.

The discussions that have taken place are very constructive and will continue in the coming months.

"Roland-Garros confirms its status as an unmissable event."

 With the Alpine Paris Major just a few weeks away, what are the prospects for this edition? 

Very good.

Bookings are following a pattern very similar to previous years.

The final weekend is already shaping up to be particularly busy.

We are very confident.

Roland-Garros has become a major event on the world calendar.

The atmosphere there is unique.

The best players in the world love playing in this stadium.

For many Spaniards, playing at Roland-Garros represents something very special.

We are very fortunate to welcome a Major to France.

"France now has an exceptional offering."

When we look at the entire French calendar, we can see how far we have come.

We welcome a  Major Premier Padel  at Roland Garros.

We now have a  P2 in Bordeaux .

Two  FIP Platinum .

Starting next year,  16 FIP  will be organized in our territory.

Not forgetting the four new ones  P3000 .

Few countries can currently offer such a range of competitions.

This is the result of collective work carried out over several years.

"Roland-Garros is not just about sport."

The event also continues to evolve.

The public obviously comes to see the best players in the world.

But he also enjoys the whole atmosphere created around the competition.

The DJ, the entertainment, the village, the various new features…

Each year, we try to further improve the experience offered to the public.

This edition will be no exception.

"Cabriès will remain a symbol"

In conclusion to the interview, Laurent Aznar returned to the specific context of WinWin Padel Cabries.

With the disappearance of the current P2000 format, this tournament will remain the last one organized in a completely outdoor environment.

For him, this type of competition has a special charm.

Outdoor padel offers a different experience.

The atmosphere is different.

The setting is often exceptional.

But organizing a competition of this level outdoors also requires significant infrastructure.

Today, Cabriès was the only candidate meeting all the requirements.

If other organizations present a project of this quality tomorrow, they will obviously have their place.

"The most important thing is to structure this growth."

Throughout this interview, Laurent Aznar repeatedly returned to the same idea.

Padel in France is experiencing exceptional growth.

This growth is a tremendous opportunity.

But it also imposes a responsibility.

For the president of the Federal Commission, the future will depend on a stronger organization, better adapted rules, a permanent dialogue with the clubs and an ever more coherent offer of competitions.

 “We are living through an exciting period for French padel. Much remains to be built. But our priority is clear: to support this growth, structure it, and ensure that it benefits all stakeholders in our sport.” 

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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