Present at the FIP Bronze tournament in Marnes-la-Coquette, Stéphane Berrafato, a member of the padel division of the French Tennis Federation, provided an overview of the sport's development in France. With the increasing number of international tournaments, the structuring of national teams, and the growth of clubs, the FFT intends to continue its upward trajectory. 

"We are experiencing a boom."

For Stéphane Berrafato, the development of padel in France is not slowing down.

"We are experiencing a boom. The structures are evolving enormously, with many private clubs emerging."

Today, the French landscape has changed considerably.

“We are now almost at a balance between tennis clubs that have developed padel and 100% padel facilities. Our role is to support all these projects, whether it be in terms of competition, rankings, or the various development tools.”

A rise in the popularity of FIP tournaments

One of the FFT's main areas of focus is the organization of international competitions in the country.

After a year in 2026 marked by around ten FIP tournaments, ambitions are revised upwards.

"We are aiming  16 FIP tournaments in 2027 then  22 in 2028 setups  »

Development will also depend on young people.

"We will have four  FIP Promises  next year, and we hope to double that number by 2028.

Marnes-la-Coquette establishes itself in the calendar

The FIP Bronze tournament in Marnes-la-Coquette is one of the tournaments that the Federation hopes to see become a permanent fixture.

"It's a fantastic tournament, just ten minutes from Paris. The club is perfectly suited to this type of event."

This season, two editions were exceptionally organized. However, the event will return to a more traditional format next year.

"There will only be one edition in 2027. The date has not yet been set, but it should be fairly close to this year."

FIP Bronze Marnes: big draws, tricolor duels… what are the chances for the French?

A Federation that continues to develop its structure

To support this growth, the FFT is also continuing its internal development.

A new coach has notably joined the French national training center in Vichy, while the teams dedicated to competitions continue to be strengthened.

"We are recruiting to support the development of the FIP, interclub competitions, rankings and all competitions. We are also welcoming new employees and apprentices to continue this structuring."

The motto remains the same: to grow in step with a sport that continues to gain ground.

"We are trying to structure ourselves even further in order to best support the development of this fantastic sport."

Maceo ZERHAT

Maceo Zerhat discovered padel in 2020 in Savigny-sur-Clairis, Burgundy. He contributed to the club's expansion by bringing his energy and curiosity. Padel Magazinehe transmits his Padel"mania" by skillfully bouncing on all the latest news about your favorite sport!

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