Yes, in the world of padel, it is possible to remunerate a partner for a tournament, or even for an entire season!

It is true that paying your partners is a relatively common practice in the world of padel, even if most players do not dare to talk about it openly.

However, this practice extends to all levels, from amateurs to professionals. Yes, you read correctly: among professionals, this practice is known and widespread.

Why pay a partner?

The reasons that push players to opt for this solution are multiple: to have fun, to gain points in the ranking, to increase their visibility, to win tournaments, to gain confidence, to learn alongside the best, and sometimes all of this at the same time. Whether on the French or international circuit, examples abound.

One of the first players to openly discuss this practice is the current President of 100%Padel, Jérémy Scatena, who was ranked 67th player in the world in 2022. The former historic member of the France team did not mince his words when explaining the reasons why certain players choose this solution: “To be clear, when one performs less well, regardless of the high-level partner, the result is the same because opponents naturally target the weaker player. However, playing alongside a top player can help not only improve later, but also gain time and therefore money to move up the ranks on the international circuit. I have used this type of help during my career, notably with Willy Lahoz, one of the legends of our sport.”

Pay in what way?

Payments are made in several ways. The most common among professionals consists of paying a percentage of any prize money won to the strongest player. In other words, all or part of the money won in tournaments goes to the top player. To ensure that the requested player does not have to pay a cent out of pocket, whoever pays the partner covers all tournament-related costs, such as accommodation, transportation and food.

Another method of payment consists simply of remunerating the services of the partner for its participation in one or more tournaments. The amounts vary considerably depending on the performance of the pair, the level gap between the two players, as well as the quality and prestige of the chosen partner. Also in this case, the costs related to the event are usually covered.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovers the padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since padel is part of his life. You often see him touring France going to cover the major events of padel French.

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