What players are really looking for when they register for a padel tournament…

In French padel, the proliferation of FFT tournaments is often associated with the quest for points and progression in French ranking However, for a large majority of players, the reality seems quite different. According to Francois Lorenzo , a historical figure in refereeing in the south of France, the success of the competitions rests above all on another promise: that of playing balanced matches and having fun on the track.

Finding players of your level: a daily challenge

Organizing a padel game with friends seems simple on paper. In reality, getting four players together who are available at the same time and of a similar skill level is often more complicated than it appears.

This is precisely where the padel tournaments take on their full meaning.

In just a few hours, a player is almost guaranteed to play several matches against opponents of a similar skill level. Some will be slightly stronger, others slightly weaker, but overall balance is usually maintained.

For many participants, this possibility represents the true added value of competition.

What players are really looking for when they register for a padel tournament...

Ranking is not the priority for the majority of players

Listening to the discussions at the edge of the slopes, one thing becomes clear: only a minority of competitors closely follow their ranking, calculate their points or know the subtleties of the FFT ranking system.

The vast majority of players operate according to a different logic.

They sign up for tournaments to play more, meet other enthusiasts, discover new clubs, and above all, play interesting matches. Ranking is often a consequence of their practice rather than an end in itself.

For these players, winning a few extra points ultimately matters less than spending a good half-day on the field.

Competition as an extension of leisure

Contrary to some misconceptions, amateur competition is not opposed to leisure. On the contrary, it often becomes its natural extension.

A tournament allows you to step outside your usual circle of partners, to face other playing styles and to experience more committed matches than in a simple game between friends.

The success of P25, P100, and P250 tournaments across France perfectly illustrates this trend. These events attract many players who have no particular national ambitions but are simply looking for balanced matches and a friendly atmosphere.

A major challenge for the development of padel

This reflection raises an important question for the future of French padel: should competition be considered solely as a tool for ranking players or also as a way to offer more enjoyment of the game?

For François Lorenzo, the answer seems obvious. If tournaments are attracting more and more participants, it's not solely due to the points awarded. It's primarily because they offer what many players struggle to find elsewhere: opponents of their own skill level, several matches in the same day, and the guarantee of sharing their passion with other players.

Ultimately, behind the spectacular increase in the number of competitions organized in France, the players' true motivation may not be the pursuit of an ideal ranking. It lies more simply in the pleasure of playing hard-fought, balanced matches that are accessible to all.

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.