Recently titled au P1000 UrbanPadel Carquefou en Loire Atlantique, Ainhoa ​​Berecoechea, the Basque player 22 years old, decided to go and train at the Big Padel Jet Academy à Bordeaux . After four years of study, she started working in the Gironde city and can continue to practice his passion: the paddle.

"This is all new to me, I just arrived in Bordeaux three weeks ago.", assures Ainhoa ​​Berecoechea, French padel player, ranked 53e. The Sunday 4 May, with his partner Aizkoa Iturrino, she won her first P1000 withUrbanPadel Carquefou, padel structure installed to the east of Nantes.

After two years of prep in Math Sup and two years at theENAC (National School of Civil Aviation) and Toulouse, Ainhoa ​​Berecoechea could choose between Paris et Bordeaux to start his professional career.

"I had heard about the Big Padel Jet Academy, and being close to the Basque Country played in Bordeaux's favor“, she adds.

Heading to the Bordeaux padel academy

Ainhoa ​​Berecoechea works at Aeronautical Information Service, very close to theBordeaux airport, located west of the city:

"I'm an air traffic controller, we create maps for pilots, a bit like the Waze app for airplanes."

and Big Padel Jet Academy is located nearby from his workplace.

"It's really super convenient. I train in the morning at 8 a.m., just before starting my workday at 9:30 a.m."

Within theBordeaux academy, four girls are present to practice padel:

"I had a phone interview with Jean-Thomas Peyrou. We discussed my project and my expectations."

Started playing tennis at the age of seven

Before playing paddle for two years, Ainhoa ​​Berecoechea discovered the tennis at the age of 7. His father was a Basque pelota player and his sister was also a tennis lover.

"I played a lot of tennis with my sister. She is now a professional player (Nahia Berecoechea, 21, is currently ranked 481st in the world as of May 12, 2025, ed)."

His adventure has just started with theBordeaux academy. Ainhoa ​​Berecoechea wants to have fun without necessarily thinking about being top 10 quickly:

"I want to have fun, I want to compete in the big tournaments. And I have a great time during competition weekends."

Especially since she works next door padel. There is less pressure to have to look for sponsors to try to live exclusively from this sport.

Next tournament in Cabriès

Du 28 June to 6 July, the Gironde city welcomes the Bordeaux P2, the largest international tournament organized in France behind the Major at Roland-Garros.

"I was able to go see the semi-finals in 2024. It was really great: the meals, the audience seating. And with a great atmosphere."

Ainhoa ​​Berecoechea particularly appreciate Marta OrtegaThe 28-year-old Spanish player is 6th in the world. She is currently playing with another Spanish woman: Alejandra Alonso De Villa, 13th in the world.

"I identify with her. She plays on the right, defends well, jumps and runs everywhere to try to bring back all the balls.“, she smiles.

Du 16 to 18 may, P2000 Winwin Cabriès is organized in the South of France. Ainhoa ​​Berecoechea will be part of the main board.

"Then I continue with the P1500 at the Monkey Padel in Pélissanne, north of Aix-en-Provence."

Henri Pasquet

Passionate about soccer and tennis since I was a kid, I've been playing ping-pong for three years at a club in Nantes. More recently, I discovered padel! Basketball, rugby, golf, and motorsports: yet more new sports that I follow regularly. On the cultural side, since I love giving my opinion, I write film and video game reviews on my Instagram page, Silence ça Mix.

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