There are the results, and then there are the consequences they provoke. At Roland-Garros,  Thomas Leygue not only achieved the best performance of any Frenchman in a Major  He also succeeded in taking his story out of the sole circle of specialized French media.

Having come through the qualifying rounds with  Jesus Moya After successive victories against Gala/Jensen and then Sanyo Gutiérrez/Esbrí, the Frenchman reached the round of 16 before losing to Stupaczuk/Sanz. Four wins in total, two in qualifying and two in the main draw, for a week that has become historic.

In Spain, Leygue becomes a real story

Thomas Leygue's performance also resonated on the other side of the Pyrenees.  Sports world , one of Spain's leading sports dailies, devoted an entire article to him the day after his victory against  Sanyo Gutiérrez / Juanlu Esbrí , with a particularly evocative title:  "From hitting rock bottom to shining at Roland-Garros: the unexpected hero of the Paris Major" .

The media outlet even goes so far as to present the Frenchman as  "The main protagonist of the day at Roland-Garros" , while Coello / Tapia, Galán / Chingotto, Lebrón / Augsburger and Stupaczuk / Sanz were all on the slopes this Wednesday.

More than just the result, it's above all  The story of Leygue is of interest to the Spanish press . Sports world he looks back on his ruptured Achilles tendon at the Major of Rome in June 2025, his  nearly eight months away from the slopes and then this long rebuilding process until regaining a competitive level.

More than a year later, Thomas Leygue is back in the top 150: behind the scenes of a comeback that's still unfinished

This treatment is far from insignificant in a country where padel news is a daily occurrence and where Spanish players naturally occupy most of the media space.  Leygue did not only create a sporting surprise: for one day, his story managed to stand out among those of the biggest stars on the circuit. 

Recognition of the big names on the circuit

The impact of Thomas Leygue's journey wasn't limited to the Spanish media. On the track as well, the Frenchman earned the respect of several leading figures on the circuit. After his elimination in the round of 32,  Sanyo Gutiérrez , former world number 1 and beaten with Juanlu Esbrí  6/2 4/6 7/5 He was keen to highlight his opponent:  "Congratulations Thomas Leygue, you deserved to play on this track and you deserved to win yesterday." 

The Argentinian particularly emphasized the Frenchman's ability to withstand unusual pressure, believing that Leygue had been  “the main protagonist”  of the evening and that he had managed the nerves associated with playing at home.

The next day,  Franco Stupaczuk  went even further after ending his relationship with Jon Sanz,  7 / 5 6 / 3 The Argentinian, impressed, remembered a Leygue still in full rehabilitation during his visit to Roland-Garros a few months earlier, working indoors while the world's best were playing in the tournament.

Find the Frenchman this time  on the other side of the net, in the round of 16 of a Major This inevitably gave their reunion a new dimension. For Stupa, his presence at this stage was no accident:  "They had the skill to be there and they deserved to be there." 

Two particularly symbolic testimonials. Within 24 hours, Leygue received compliments from a  former world number 1  then a player who has been established among the international elite for years. Beyond his fourth-round appearance, the Frenchman therefore leaves Roland-Garros with something more difficult to quantify:  recognition from players who are fully aware of the demands of the very highest level .

Stupa impressed by Leygue after their 8th place finish at the Paris Major: "They deserved to be there"

For Pablo Ayma, this is a sign that a milestone has been reached.

Present at Roland-Garros to follow the French national team,  Pablo Ayma  He did not hide his satisfaction. After four years at the helm of the French men's team, the coach considers this edition as  "Probably the best for French players"  since his arrival.

This observation is obviously fueled by Thomas Leygue's round of 16 appearance, but also by the performances of  Timéo Fonteny and Dylan Guichard , in a Paris Major where several French players managed to get through the rounds.

And Ayma points out another visible change at Roland-Garros:  increasingly full stands, even from the early rounds In this context, Leygue's journey takes on an added dimension. It doesn't yet constitute proof that French padel has joined the ranks of the major nations, but it offers an initial glimpse of what Ayma is trying to build:  French players capable of performing on the biggest stages and an audience that is starting to truly identify with them. 

Pablo Ayma: “Our ambition is that one day France can compete with Spain and Argentina”

Leygue, a performance that was still lacking in French padel

Thomas Leygue's career also takes on a new dimension when placed in the context of the  spectacular development of padel in France The discipline now has approximately  350,000 FFT members who play it , while the country has more than  4 tracks .

The Paris Major is also keeping pace with this growth: in 2025, approximately  One in three spectators was discovering Roland-Garros for the first time and the 2026 edition must be the first to present a positive financial result.

But this popular growth had not yet fully translated to the highest level of men's football. Before the tournament,  No Frenchman had secured direct entry into the main draw based on his ranking. and Leygue himself had to leave the qualifying rounds. A few days later, he finally left Roland-Garros after  four wins , a historic round of 16 and an ovation from the Philippe-Chatrier crowd.

In his own way, his journey thus helped to reduce, for a week, this gap between  French padel is growing extremely fast in clubs, while men's padel is still searching for its first major achievements on the international circuit. .

Raphael Degironde

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

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