In the middle of Roland-Garros , meeting with a tennis icon who shares his love for the  clay  and his interest in the growth of  paddle .

Emotion above all

It is in the bucolic setting of the  Tennis Padel Club Forest Hill , in Marne-la-Coquette, whom we met  Mansour Bahrami A true tennis legend, the man with the iconic mustache is known for his spectacular playing style, his  creativity  on the court and his  inimitable humor .

Established in France for more than  45 years , Bahrami evokes his deep attachment to the country that welcomed him:

“France is my country. I am French, and proud of it. I love this country.”

And when we talk about  Roland Garros , the emotion is immediate:

"For me, it's the most beautiful place in the world to play tennis, especially on clay. I love this tournament. I'm very attached to it. And every year, I participate in the  Legends Trophy  — a competition I started myself. It's still going, and it's truly fabulous."

His vision of padel

The explosion of padel has piqued the curiosity of the former Roland-Garros doubles finalist. Although he doesn't play regularly, he closely follows the sport's evolution:

"It's a sport in  full growth , and that's a very good thing. I think it's a little more accessible than tennis, which is probably why it attracts so many people. And frankly, that's a good thing.

He even recently played his first match:

“I played for the first time two days ago, in a celebrity tournament at  Racing Club of La Boulie . I thought it was nice. I had a lot of fun.

However, for Mansour, the  tennis remains a priority  :

"I don't play padel often, because I'm still very active in tennis exhibitions. I travel all over the world. And  almost 70 years , when you're still playing at Wimbledon, Roland Garros or the Australian Open, you really have to train and stay in shape."
"What little energy I have, I reserve for tennis. I have to be physically ready for these exhibitions to which I am still invited every year."

And the mischievous mustachioed man still has plenty of energy to spare, to our great joy!

binisti belasteguin Mansour Bahrami lesage padel
binisti Mansour Bahrami lesage belasteguin National Padel Cup
Mansour Bahrami padel Franck binisti

Tennis and padel, two cousins…

For Bahrami, the  technical bridges  between the two disciplines are evident:

“There are a lot of similarities: the forehand, the backhand… it’s the same base.”

But according to him, it's the rules that make all the difference:

"In tennis, you only get one bounce. And if the ball hits the fence, it's over. Whereas in padel, it can bounce off the glass, and the point continues. That's the real difference."

Sport as a connection and driving force for life

Beyond the differences between disciplines,  Mansour Bahrami  delivers a  universal message  :

“Sport is good for your health. It doesn't matter which one. And above all, sport has the power to bring people together. And that's really essential.”

And if he were 30 years younger, would he have taken up padel?

"Without hesitation. I would have played, not to become a champion, but to stay in shape. It's a great way to stay in shape. And I'm glad that those who find tennis too hard can discover this sport."

Resilience and talent combined…

Mansour Bahrami

Born in 1956 in Iran,  Mansour Bahrami  experienced a youth marked by the political upheavals of his country. Deprived of competition for years because of the  islamic revolution , he found refuge in France at the end of the 70s. There he relaunched his career with courage and determination.

Although he does not have any major singles titles on the ATP circuit, he has reached the  doubles final at Roland Garros in 1989  with Eric Winogradsky. But it is especially in the  Exhibitions  that his genius is expressed: feint shots, serves with his back to the net, spectacular exchanges... Bahrami becomes a  global ambassador of tennis entertainment , adored by fans on every continent.

Even today, at  almost 70 years , he continues to perform all over the world.

Through this conversation,  Mansour Bahrami  reminds us that sport is not just about trophies. It is a story of desire, joy, and human connection. If tennis remains his great love, he looks at padel with a  sincere curiosity  and real kindness.

His final message resonates with him as obvious:

“Sport is life.”

 Hat the artist! 

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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