Le FIP Promises Paris by WME, organized at Tennis / Padel Lésigny Club, marked a turning point in the development of padel among young people. For the first time in France, an international tournament brought together more than 340 players from 13 European nations, in an atmosphere worthy of the biggest events. Alexia Dechaume, Manager of high-level and French national padel teams at the French Tennis Federation, she reflected on the importance of such an event, on the progress of French padel and on the challenges ahead, particularly in women's padel.

“Not everyone has the chance to play in the World Championships / European Championships”

“It’s fabulous to see this, to see all these young people, to see this level of organization. It’s great for the development of padel, because it allows young people to compete internationally, even without being on the French national team. Not everyone has the chance to play in the World Championships or the European Championships. This kind of tournament gives them the opportunity to measure themselves against foreign players, to see where they stand in terms of skill level.”

Alexia Dechaume confirms that this tournament is unique: “Usually, a FIP Promises tournament attracts few players. Here, we have a true international tournament with professional-level facilities, a village, a great atmosphere, and 340 participants from all over Europe. It's exceptional.” For her, this success rests primarily on the passion of the organizers: “This tournament is above all the story of passionate people. Guillaume Solis had come to the Junior World Championships in Spain. He wanted to offer the same experience here in France, to allow young people to experience a major tournament. There is a federation behind it that provides support, but it is above all the energy of these passionate individuals that has made it possible.”

Guillaume Solis and Alexia Dechaume

“Padel culture is growing in France”

Regarding the progress of the French national team, the head of high-performance padel is confident: “At the adult level, the elite level remains tightly controlled, that’s true. But the next generation is emerging. Young French players are starting to compete and make a name for themselves. We saw it at the Junior World Championships: the boys finished third, and there were many silver medals in the Open tournaments. Even international padel experts tell us that France is progressing well. We can feel that padel culture is taking root. It takes time; we’re not going to revolutionize the elite level in two years, but the wave is coming. Today’s U14 generation is perhaps the one we’ll see at the highest level in six years.”

Alexia Dechaume also mentions the need for in-depth work: “It needs to grow at the grassroots level. We need more young people who train seriously, who build real sporting projects. We have more and more of them, and that's encouraging. The level is rising, and so is the volume. When you see the evolution since the creation of the national youth tournaments, the TNJ, 3 or 4 years ago, it's impressive. The number of teams, the level of play, everything has progressed.”

FIP Promises Paris by WME tison coaching

An initial assessment has already been made at the National Training Centre Padel

Training center manager VichyAlexia offers a very positive initial assessment: “The young people feel at home here, they're making progress, and above all, they want to go back every time they return home. The Vichy project is a real success, both in terms of the people involved and the athletes themselves. We communicate regularly with the parents to monitor their progress, and everyone is satisfied. The young people have improved, and this is also confirmed by outside observers. The two groups get along very well; there's a real sense of cohesion.” She emphasizes the working conditions: “The national training center is exceptional. The facilities are incredible. The days are very full with studies, physical training, and practice. No, they're not spoiled; they work hard.”

The lack of female players, a global phenomenon

Regarding women's padel, Alexia Dechaume makes an observation shared internationally: "We thought the lack of players was a French problem, but we've realized it's a global phenomenon. All federations have the same issue: there are fewer girls, less depth of skill, and more pronounced gaps. It's not specific to France; it's structural." She remains optimistic, however: "This tournament has over 30% female participants, which is already very encouraging. With more padel schools and local initiatives, we'll be able to reverse this trend. Padel is a sport for everyone; it also needs to attract more young girls."

She also addresses the issue of elite level: "You sometimes hear that it's easier for a girl to break through than for a boy. I don't agree. Becoming a top-level player is just as difficult. The stages are different, but the demands are the same. Reaching the elite requires work, discipline, and time. It's not easier, it's just a different path."

FIP Promises Paris by WME tison coaching

“What young people are experiencing at the CNE, I have experienced.”

A former professional tennis player, Alexia Dechaume uses her experience to help young people: “What I can offer them is sharing. I experienced life in a sports-study program, the demands of high-level competition, and the moments of doubt too. What they are going through today, I have experienced. I can help them avoid certain mistakes, to understand that all of this is part of the journey. I also had the opportunity to coach on the tennis circuit at a very high level, so these exchanges with young players and their coaches are invaluable. We also learn from each other.”

Finally, regarding the possibility of mixed-gender padel similar to tennis, she clarifies: "It would be interesting to imagine, but padel is a more confined, faster sport, and therefore potentially more dangerous for this format. On a tennis court, there is more space. Perhaps that's one of the reasons why it doesn't exist yet. But nothing is impossible, things are evolving quickly."

In conclusion, Alexia Dechaume praised the collective success of the FIP Promises Paris by WME: “This tournament shows that in France, we know how to do things well when everyone works together: the federation, the clubs, the volunteers, the enthusiasts. It’s a collective adventure that will inspire other projects and encourage other organizations to get involved.”

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.

On the same subject

Tags