Alison Carré: “Between tennis and padel, my choice was quickly made”

Marriage, osteopathy, new partner... at 29, the player from La Tranche-sur-Mer is preparing to play a special season

A tenniswoman's liability

Tennis has always been part of my life. I started playing at 5 years old and I did all my tennis in the Pays de la Loire region. I even joined the hope center of Nantes when I was 12 years old.

His experience in the United States

Before passing my baccalaureate, I planned to go to the United States. A few friends went there and they sold me the experience. With all the tennis competitions I had, it was getting complicated. So I put sports aside to focus on my studies.

After obtaining my baccalaureate, I was able to leave for four years. First in Tennessee to Clarksville for a year, and then Fresno California. I joined the university tennis course, it allowed me to study physio while continuing to play tennis. I was 1/6 back then. My ranking allowed me to have a full scholarship, I had nothing to pay. I came to the United States because of tennis, but not specifically for tennis.

Le padel comme une évidence

My senior year in California, there was a problem with my college, my coach was fired and I couldn't play for a year. When I returned to France I missed tennis a little. I went on vacation to La Rochelle and a friend introduced me to the padel. I loved. When I arrived in the United States, I realized that tennis was very team-oriented, we did a lot of doubles and I really enjoyed it. It is precisely thanks to this that I quickly took a liking to padel.

When I returned to Lyon, I did a little research, I registered on a site to find partners and that's how I played Esprit for the first time. Padel. Sébastien Cornet observed me a lot and he explained to me that I had good tennis bases which can help me in the padel. It happened very quickly and I came every week to train. Between tennis and padel, my choice was quickly made !

A first memorable memory with Camille Martinet

Sport is simple, either I compete or I don't. ! I quickly learned the tactical and technical basics in training and I did the P100 and P250 in Lyon. When I started the padel I played with Camille Martinet. We did a lot of tournaments together and we really enjoyed ourselves. My best memory was a P500 in Lyon. We come out of qualifying, we were around 700 in the standings, no one was waiting for us at the turn. We arrive in the final table, we face girls in the top 20, 30 was crazy! It gave us intense emotions and that's when I said to myself “if I take more lessons, maybe there is something to do”.

An atypical style with advice from Johan Bergeron

I have a very aggressive game. The double in the United States really taught me about the volley and about positional sense. I have a good smash and a good vision of the game, it helped me a lot in padel. I still have a big problem that persists today, I tend to want to finish the point too quickly. I need to build my game more, to be more patient.

I have a somewhat atypical style but that is my strength. Under the advice of Johan Bergeron, I combine backhand with one and two hands. In Spain they are doing it more and more, so I trust him. With one hand, I can't play flat and my wrist is loose.

Between frustration and motivation at the Open Padel Arena (team tournament)

It was a complicated game. Before this meeting, it was a headache in terms of the choice of pairs. In the end we played together with Lucile Pothier. We win the first set while chasing the score all the time. In the second Mélanie (Ros) and Marie (Lefevre) come back in front and in the third set, we have the chances but we don't succeed. We know that this match can turn one way or the other, inevitably it weighs on morale. A lot of disappointment, but at the same time we tell ourselves that we weren't far behind and they are still girls who play very well.

A daily life between osteopathy and padel

My physio studies in the United States were worthless in France. I started all over again. I did my five years of osteopathy studies in Lyon and two years ago I graduated. As soon as I obtained it, I had the chance to open my own practice, which allows me to open and close according to my niches. As soon as I have weekend tournaments, I close. I still limit myself to two tournaments per month, because financially I can't do more. Without a sponsor it's complicated, everything is at my expense. In addition, in Lyon, we don't have many tournaments above P250. Each time you have to go west or to Paris and it's expensive.

A special year 2023

I would like to get closer to the top 20 but it's difficult to project myself. It's a special year for me, I'm getting married next June. So there are months where I will not be able to play and financially it may be complicated. I won't be able to do all the tournaments I want. That's why I didn't start with a particular partner this season. I will do as many tournaments as possible with the girls that will be available.

Playing with Louise Bahurel

I really like playing with her. We will be able to be together this season, but she knows it, I will not be able to ensure all the tournaments. We had two great performances at P1000 in Merville (3^rd) and Rouen P1000 (4^rd). It was our first tournaments together, we are aware that there are still benchmarks to take but it is promising. I think we have a game that complements each other. She is more patient than me in the game. She is young and she has a great future in this sport, we can help each other.

His dream: to join the French team… as an osteopath

I know that I won't earn my living with the padel, it will not be my job. On the other hand, my dream is to be an osteopath for the French team of padel. Every time I ask the girls for little information, I don't dare introduce myself yet, but in the future, being appointed as an osteopath for the French team would be great!

Vincent Gallie

A fan of oval football, round ball but also racket sports, he was stung by the padel during his adolescence in Galicia. As comfortable in front of the camera as behind a microphone, Vince will be able to bring his vision and expertise as a fan of the little yellow ball.