The French number 1 Thomas Leygue saw his 2025 season abruptly interrupted after a ruptured Achilles tendon during the Premier Padel Rome MajorAn injury that occurred while the Frenchman was enjoying his best season. Having undergone surgery and is now in rehabilitation, he speaks openly about the action, the pain, the positive dynamic with Jesus Moya, the impact on his ranking, his goals for 2026, and his personal development in recent months.

A snap, a shock, a sudden stop

Everything changed in Rome, during a big match delivered with Jesus moya facing the brothers DEUS : "We won the first set, and right at the start of the second, on a push, it gave way. I heard a dull noise, like a balloon bursting or a bang on a window. At the time, I thought I hit my heel against the window... but no. The pain gradually increased. I didn't understand what was happening."

The physio intervened quickly: "I couldn't put my foot down anymore. At that moment, I started to realize it. Especially when I saw the faces of the other players, Jesus, the physios... They understood before me."

Operation, rehabilitation, hopes

The surgery took place in the following days: "The tendon had completely detached from the calf. The surgeon had to reattach it with stitches. I even received the video of the operation. It's impressive."

The rest is planned precisely: "Two weeks in a cast, a month and a half in a boot, then four to five months of rehabilitation. The goal is to fully resume training in January 4, and return to competition around February or March."

Warning signs?

This injury didn't happen in a vacuum. During the South American tour, Thomas was already suffering from lower back pain: "In Argentina, I injured my back, Jesus his knee. We were playing on anti-inflammatories. And this kind of compensation ends up giving way somewhere. I think it was a series of events that weakened my Achilles tendon."

A promising association with Jesus Moya

Before the accident, Thomas Leygue and Jesus Moya had just launched a series of tournaments together. A real dynamic was triggered: “We had planned eight tournaments: Bandol, Rome, Valladolid, Bordeaux, Malaga, Barcelona… We were starting to perform.”

On a human level, the understanding was strong: "I give my partner a lot of freedom. I told him: 'As long as you come and fight on the field, I won't put pressure on you.' He needed to regain his confidence. I reminded him all the time: you were ranked 25th in the world, you haven't lost any of your talent."

An atypical style that requires confidence

Thomas admits that his profile as a right-wing, aggressive, unconventional player requires adaptation: "I need space, I take up a lot of space at the net. But when people understand me, like Bastien (Blanqué) or Jesus, it works very well."

He also knows how to encourage his partner on his strengths: "I want my partner to dare. If Jesus wants to smash every ball, even at 40A in the stands, I applaud him. It's his game. Padel is about confidence."

A benchmark match in Buenos Aires

Among the best moments of their short association, one match stands out: the second round in Buenos Aires against Leal / Guerrero. "It was perhaps our best match together. We were coming out of qualifying, we arrived with confidence. And that day, we played a great match."

He also recalls this spectacular point that he published on his networks: a backhand jump, a boomerang effect... "At the beginning, I wanted to put her in the door. She comes back into our camp, it's crazy."

The ranking: beyond the top 100, real consistency

2025 marked a turning point in Thomas's career: "I entered the top 100, but above all, I stayed there. I was ranked 86th at best. The most important thing for me is the regularity »

A real difference from previous seasons: "Before, I alternated between victories over higher-ranked players and frustrating defeats. In 2025, I haven't lost a single match against players lower ranked than me."

He analyzes lucidly: "Between 90th and 105th place, it's a matter of 50 points. What I achieved was not to give up on the matches I was supposed to win »

Such a mental and structured progression

This consistency is the result of a comprehensive effort: "I have a lot of support: mental coach, physiotherapists, physical trainer... I try to do things that no one likes to do: eat well, recover well, train even when I don't feel like it."

And it's paying off. He believes he's reached a level close to the world's top 50: "I felt at the level of the 40-50 pairs. I beat several players in that range. I didn't feel inferior to the Deus brothers, for example."

A project without attachment… until Moya

In 2025, Thomas voluntarily chained the associations: "I didn't want to block myself. I played with Montiel, Collado, Geens, Windahland finally, Moya »

But it was with the latter that he had a real project: "We had closed eight tournaments. And he had a better ranking than me, we were progressing with each tournament. We had a structured schedule. Unfortunately, my injury interrupted all that."

Consequences for the French championships

Reigning French champion Thomas will not be able to defend his crown in 2025. "Bastien (Blanqué) was there in Rome, he saw the injury. I don't know if he'll be able to play with anyone else. I hope he gets that opportunity."

As for him, he is looking ahead: "I will return to defend my title in 2026. In the meantime, I will remain undefeated."

A protected ranking… but imperfect

Thomas asked for a protected ranking, but the system remains limited: "You have to be injured for at least 4 months. And the average number of points lost during this period determines a new ranking. In general, it is lower than the one I had."

This protected ranking allows you to register for certain tournaments, but only on an ad hoc basis: "If I don't need points to get in, I don't use it. But for a Major, if it allows me to avoid qualifying, I'll ask for it."

And now? Target 2026

The season is over for Thomas. "What you can hope for me is that 2026 starts like 2025. That I return in shape, with my level, my confidence. And why not, even better."

In the meantime, he's embarking on serious rehabilitation: "You can't go too fast. It's at times like these that you risk a relapse. I want to come back strong... and never leave again."

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