Big winner of the last P2000 of the season alongside the very promising Dylan Guichard, Bastien Blanqué returned to the microphone of Padel Magazine on its year 2022 as well as on its future.

“A deserved bronze medal”

“In 2012 I qualified for my first World Championships in Cancun with Alexis Salle, Robin Haziza, Jérémy Scatena, Kévin Fouquet… and ten years later I won the bronze medal in Dubai. If you had told me that at the time, I wouldn't have believed it. the padel in France is developing, there are professional players now and we have done something crazy.”

"Ten years ago in Mexico we finished in eighth place because we didn't yet have any pro players apart from Robin and Scat who played a little on the circuit. This year we had the objective of finishing fourth and the opportunity to do better presented itself. Twenty-four hours before we discussed with the guys to get the bronze medal and we did it! In 2012 it would have been a hold-up but there, we still deserve it a little (laughs)."

"It's very surprising because we were talking about it with Benjamin Tison on the plane. Indeed before leaving he told me that this competition was going to be horrible for the Brazilians because they cannot win against Argentina and Spain. But behind them they can't lose because they have players better than those of France or Italy like Pablo Lima, Marcelo Jardim or Lucas Bergamini. Portugal eliminates them and from there we all agree to change the objective and go for this 3rd place. We knew we had the weapons to beat the Portuguese. "

Leygue blank world 2022
Thomas Leygue and Bastien Blanqué at the 2022 World Championship

“We wrote history”

"Our group of eight guys that we were was very close-knit, there were other good pairs that could be lined up without problems and Pablo even had trouble making his teams because he said that there were different profiles but that the four pairs were competitive.”

“It's true that during the year we struggle on the French circuit but in the French team everyone puts their ego aside, we talk a lot and we talk things over. As I told them, we wrote history in the padel French and even worldwide because at the end Sanyo came to see us to congratulate us and we could see that everyone had a smile for us.”

World France team atmosphere
The French men's team after their bronze medal

“Get a final at the European Championships”

“Next year there are the European Championships, we still don't know where they will take place but the objective will be to get a final. However, the feat we achieved this year against Portugal may not be repeated because they have a very good team and their players are likely to be very revengeful. Also watch out for the Swedes who have a great team too, but not stronger than Portugal or us.”

"This year with France the major advantage is that there is no weakness. We had a homogeneous team in terms of level of play and that was our strength because our opponents didn't know what we were going to do."

“For a year now I have not had fun on the WPT”

"I would say that this season has been divided into two. From January to June: not good at all in terms of pre-season, training and competitions. Apart from one thing, the P2000 won in Paris, à Padel Horizon and still I did not arrive in confidence.

And in July there were a lot of changes in my life, but also with my sports teams and since then it's been very good. The trigger is Adrien Maigret's call to play with him on Premier Padel of Roland Garros. We are going to do a first preparation tournament which is going well and then there are a lot of good things that have followed one another, French Championships, the P2000, the bronze medal and in my personal life everything is going very well”.

Bastien-Blanque-volee-Adrien-Maigret-16th-greenweez-Paris-Premier-Padel-Major
Adrien Maigret and Bastien Blanqué at Greenweez Paris Premier by Roland Garros

“Next year I will concentrate fully on Premier Padel and FIP tournaments but if I have a little time I will still do some competitions World Padel Tour. You know Franck, the conditions of the WPT do not suit me because it is very fast and there is no height. You will play in the depths of Spain against two Spaniards, without arbitration, where almost all the points are disputed.

Premier Padel or even the FIP circuit is different, you are well received, paid accommodation and better playing conditions, new balls, possibility of going out, a referee present, etc. It must remain pleasure and I realized that for a year I no longer took pleasure on the World Padel Tour. I feel better about Premier Padel, especially since I'm winning games and it's televised. So for my part I will focus on Premier Padel, FIP, French circuit and national team.”

“I see how happy the players are on the stages of Premier Padel and FIP tournaments. We are better received, the communication is better, the prize-money more important and the tables more open. I believe a lot in Premier Padel. I think we're all going to go in that direction but to say whether the WPT is going to stop, I have no idea.

“I've never played the APT before but why not. This year I didn't have time.

Happier in France

“A year ago I announced that my collaboration with Ramiro Choya, my trainer at heart, the one who taught me everything was coming to an end. He left for Doha and in February I found myself at an impasse. I decided to go to an academy but it was very different.

At the start of the year, I changed sponsors and went to Bullpadel so I entered the academy of the latter with Rodrigo Ovide and Gaby Reca. It was going well but nothing more, I felt that I was not progressing, it was far from home so I had to change things.

So I came back to live in Toulouse and I have been training every day since the beginning of July with Christophe Semmartin, mainly in Toulouse. Padel Club. In addition I have my physical and mental preparation here, I managed to create a very professional environment. I will return to Spain at times but not to live there. We went there with Thomas to train but the personal side is very important and I feel happier here.”

“A strongly criticized choice”

“With Thomas we won the French Championships together this year but we haven't talked about next season yet. About me if he wants to do another year with me it's ok of course. Will he want to come back? We didn't discuss it. We will have time to talk about it together and see what he wants. Will he want to play on the right or on the left, because I see that he has gone back to the left…”

Blanque Leygue champions of France 2022 in Toulouse Padel Club

“My choice was heavily criticized and I will moderate my comments, many people close to him did not believe in him or our pair. I had told them that we were going to do great things together. I went to get him, he was training with Gaby Reca, he wasn't progressing too much, he didn't know which side to play on so I offered him to come and train with me and Ramiro Choya. Last year we lost in the final at the French Championships and this year we won and we saw Thomas explode on the French circuit. I am very happy to be part of his journey and I wish him nothing but happiness.”

“I had offers”

“For the rest I have no partner. Currently I am 130/140 so I will try to find a Spaniard in those waters. If not with Thomas if he eventually wants to start an international project together. After my bronze medal I have proposals, two Portuguese players wrote to me and I had other requests but I told them that for the moment I stopped a little.

Bastien Blanqué and Johan Bergeron

“A quick word for Jo (Johan Bergeron) who announced his decision to end his sports career in Dubai in front of the whole group. Only Ben Tison knew. It was a very moving moment for me because for me it's the end of a great story that we made together. I only wish him happiness for the future and I am very happy and proud to have lived this experience with him. Five years ago when we left together he trusted me.

Watch the interview in its entirety below.

Sebastien Carrasco

Future naturopath and passionate about padel, Seb is the health/food gentleman of Padel Magazine. He juggles between pala, quinoa and essential oils. For almost two years now he has been dealing with the news of the little yellow ball with the same passion.

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