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 BahramiA 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!

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