The choices of the  FFT regarding the men's wild cards for the Paris Major 2026  These decisions inevitably fueled the discussions. Should the focus be on young players? Should certain pairs be secured? Should the highest-ranked French players be allowed to try their luck in qualifying? After the early rounds at Roland-Garros, it's impossible to say which strategy was the most optimal. However, one conclusion is clear:  with three Frenchmen spread across three different pairs in the second round, the French record is already historic. 

And a few weeks before the next  Championnat du monde This success comes at the perfect time.

Three Frenchmen, three pairs in the second round

 Dylan Guichard, Timéo Fonteny and Thomas Leygue  All three will be present in the second round of the Paris Major, each with a different partner.

Guichard, partner of the Belgian  Clement Geens and Fonteny, alongside the Spaniard  Nacho Moragues had benefited from a wild card to enter directly into the main draw.

Leygue and  Jesus Moya They, however, had to go through the qualifying rounds before continuing their journey in the main draw.

FIP Bronze Marnes: Disappointment, Thomas Leygue forced to withdraw

Three different paths to the same result:  three French representatives still in contention in the second round .

An unprecedented situation for the French contingent at Paris Major.

Leygue / Moya: the caution was understandable

The absence of a wild card for  Thomas Leygue / Jesús Moya  had notably caused a stir.

But the context must be remembered.

Leygue was gradually returning from his serious Achilles tendon injury, and his new partnership with Moya was still being fine-tuned. The pair's last-minute withdrawal at the  FIP Bronze from Marnes-la-Coquette For medical reasons, there had also been a degree of uncertainty in the days leading up to the Major's departure.

Under these conditions, the FFT could consider that Leygue / Moya did not yet offer all the guarantees to use one of the valuable available invitations on them.

Leygue and Moya, on fire, caused a sensation by eliminating Gala/Jensen in the first round of the Paris Major.

Ultimately, the scenario turned in favour of the Frenchman: the pair made it through the qualifiers before confirming their place in the main draw.

Guichard / Geens: the question can still be asked

Conversely, the case  Dylan Guichard / Clement Geens  can fuel reflection.

The Franco-Belgian pair were among the  four best pairs from the qualifiers  before finally receiving a wild card for the main draw.

Given their status and especially the level they have shown since the start of the Paris Major, could they have secured their qualification on their own?

Probably. But definitely? Impossible to say for sure.

Paris Major: Guichard and Geens on a mission at Chatrier, a total demonstration to reach the second round

Qualifying for a Major remains a risky endeavor, and no place is guaranteed. The FFT therefore preferred to secure Guichard's place in the main draw.

However, another scenario is conceivable: leaving Guichard/Geens in the qualifiers, with the possibility of recovering the points associated with their run, and using this wild card to offer a direct spot to another competing pair, notably  Manuel Vives / Olivier Guy de Chamisso .

Would that have yielded a better result? Nobody can know.

It is precisely for this reason that it would be excessive to speak today of an "optimal" strategy.

A successful French harvest already

What we can judge, however, are the results.

And on this ground,  The French harvest is already a success .

Three Frenchmen in the second round in three different associations: the Paris Major had never before offered such a strong French male representation at this stage of the competition.

Beyond the immediate results, there is another piece of excellent news for French padel:  Several players likely to be part of the French team for the next World Cup are hitting their stride at the same time. 

Five players from the main draw already focused on the World Championship?

Because this Paris Major also constitutes a formidable indicator before the next international events.

Of the eight players who will make up the French national team,  Five Frenchmen present in the main draw at Roland-Garros now seem very well placed to be part of the group: Dylan Guichard, Jérémy Robert, Yoan Boronad, Thomas Leygue and Timéo Fonteny. 

A particularly young base, but already accustomed to the international circuit.

It also presents an interesting complementarity with  two players mainly playing on the left and three on the right Thomas Leygue also possesses the valuable characteristic of being able to play on both sides of the track.

Jérémy Robert, a first selection that is getting closer?

Among these five players, the case of  Jeremy Robert  will be particularly interesting to follow.

His current level, his progress and the federal policy clearly geared towards the new generation now make him a very serious candidate for a first selection with the French senior team.

Nothing is certain several weeks before the squad announcement. A dip in form or the emergence of other players could still alter the hierarchy.

But at a constant level,  It would become difficult to imagine the next World Cup without Jérémy Robert among the eight French players selected. 

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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