A rare, almost unreal day on the slopes of  Bordeaux Premier Padel P2 . In a few hours, the two world number 1s,  Ariana Sánchez among the ladies  et  Agustín Tapia in the men's category , broke down emotionally. One after another  surprise defeat , the other after a  anthology victory But behind these poignant scenes, the same question arises:  Are the world's best players already on the verge of breaking down? 

Two tears, two stories, one signal

In the women's race, the clash was brutal. The pair  Sanchez / Josemaria , ultra-dominant on the circuit, fell in the quarter-finals against  Jensen / Alonso , in two short sets. At the end of the match,  Ari Sanchez breaks down in tears , visibly diminished. This Saturday, the Catalan finally confirmed a physical discomfort felt  Wednesday at training  :

"I suffered from leg discomfort. I tried until the end, but I was very limited," she explained on Instagram.

In gentlemen,  Agustín Tapia  He too found himself overcome with emotion, but  after a victory . Alongside Arturo Coello, he defeated Sanz / Momo in a  match of crazy intensity , perhaps the most striking of the season. At the final blow, the Argentinian could not contain his tears. Physical exhaustion, mental tension, emotional burden:  everything seemed to explode .

Two contrasting sequences, but revealing the same exhaustion.

2 hours and 24 minutes of combat, Coello/Tapia come out on top after one of the matches of the year in Bordeaux!

A chain that leaves its mark

It must be said that this  Premier Padel Bordeaux P2  come  just after Valladolid , where temperatures hovered around 40°C all week. There too, the bodies suffered.  Delfi Brea , semi-finalist in Valladolid, had to withdraw in Bordeaux.  Juan Lebrón , finalist in the men's category, also did not make the trip to Gironde.

Delfi Brea injured in the calf: uncertainty surrounding her participation in Bordeaux P2

Are those who have blown ultimately the most lucid?
Had the absentees been right about  preserve their health  with a view to  Málaga P1  in ten days? It's still too early to say, but one thing is certain:  The Valladolid tournament left its mark , especially among those who go all the way every week.

Mental fatigue, pressure, injuries: the dangerous cocktail

What we have observed over the past few months is  the growing impact of mental fatigue , in addition to the physical wear and tear. High-level padel has become a sport where commitment is total, match after match, tournament after tournament. The best pairs play every week or almost, go through travel, media requests, training... and sometimes,  additional competitions on other circuits , or in exhibitions.

The result? Bodies that give out, spirits that falter, tears in the middle of the tournament.
And these tears are not trivial:  they undoubtedly translate more than a moment of emotion . They may be  the alarm signal  of a system at the end of its tether.

A calendar to rethink?

The question arises more than ever:  Should the schedule be lightened? Should rest periods be better regulated? 
Because if the world number 1s, even though they are the best prepared, end up cracking in public,  what about the others?  And above all, what will happen if this pace continues to wear down even the strongest bodies?

Padel is growing, that's a fact. But its professional model could quickly come up against its own excesses.

Watch out for what follows…

With again  two days of competition in Bordeaux , the eyes will be attentive to these signs of fatigue.  No question of seeing another injury or another abandonment , otherwise the debate on  players' health  could suddenly return to the center of discussions.

Behind the smiles on the catwalks,  the signs of fragility are there . And tears, like those of Ari Sánchez or Agustín Tapia, remind us that  Even at the top, you are never safe from wear and tear. 

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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