Clara Mansart , currently  14th French player , begins this Thursday at  FIP Silver Narbonne  next to  Marie-Amelie Dardaine The French duo will face off in the first round.  Fiona Ligi  et  Steffi Merah  in an all-French duel  Silk Sets Padel Narbonne .

Between tactical adaptation, evolution of his training, balance between his job and  physiotherapist  and the top level, as well as his objectives on the circuit  FIP Clara Mansart spoke to Mario Cordero before her first match.

 "I like these playing conditions." 

 How are you feeling before this first match? 

I feel pretty good. I like the heat, it's warm here, and I think it's going to turn out well. These are conditions I like.

We've had a good training session, and now I'm mainly hoping to be able to implement in matches what I've been working on in training. So far, that hasn't always been the case, especially with certain aspects of my play behind the try line. Up front, I'm quite satisfied, but there are still things to improve in the backline. We'll see if I can put them into practice this week.

I'm hitting more par 3s than rematches, but with these very fast conditions, you also have to know how to hit the ball in front. When it's this hot, playing straight can become a real weapon.

 "We know Fiona Ligi well." 

 You will be facing Fiona Ligi and Steffi Merah. Have you already worked on the tactics? 

Of course, we talked about it a little. With Marie-Amélie, this will be the third time we've played Fiona since the beginning of the year.

So we already have some reference points. But honestly, we haven't really delved into the tactics yet. The main idea today is to train, get our bearings on the tracks, and then fine-tune the details.

 You seem to have been training more in recent months. How do you organize yourself? 

I have indeed reduced my professional activity. I was working seven half-days a week and I've gone down to five.

This now allows me to train four times a week while also receiving proper physical conditioning. It was something I really wanted to develop. Today, I'm able to better balance my padel sessions and physical training.

 "I'm pretty much self-taught when it comes to physical training." 

 Who will be training with you? 

In padel, I work with  Yann Auradou  et  Hugo Jean  au  Bailly-Noisy Tennis Club , in Yvelines.

For physical preparation, I'm pretty much my own coach. I obviously have the help of a physiotherapist colleague who supports and advises me, but overall I build a large part of my physical work myself.

 "I mainly train with men." 

 Do you easily find female training partners? 

Not really. I mostly train with men.

In the Île-de-France region, there are several good players, but we all have our professional obligations. We are often in different clubs and it's not easy to meet up regularly.

In Bailly, I mainly play with boys, including Franck Binisti who keeps a close eye on me (laughs). The advantage is that it allows for very interesting and demanding matches.

 A busy summer on the FIP circuit 

 What will your plans be after Narbonne? 

I have several FIP tournaments planned for this summer.

I'm going to play a  FIP Bronze in Dronten in the Netherlands, not far from Marie-Amélie's place. Then there will be a  FIP Silver in Jersey .

Next week, we also have the gathering of the France team  in Vichy. The schedule is packed with training, competitions and travel.

 "The World University Championships are an important objective." 

 Will you also be participating in the World University Championships in Malaga? 

Yes with  Nathan Courrin ,  Eliot Deknuydt  et  Louise Bahurel.  We're going to Malaga.

This is an event I'm really looking forward to. The French team will have one women's pair, one men's pair, and two mixed pairs.

This year  FFSU  France is only sending two pairs, while some nations like Spain are fielding three. There will be a women's draw, a men's draw, and a mixed draw. If I understand correctly, the pairs that advance furthest will earn points for their country.

We will certainly have a very high level of play with players from the world's top 100.

This is a first experience for me and I'm really looking forward to participating.

 See you Friday in Narbonne 

Before thinking about the summer deadlines, Clara Mansart will first have to overcome the first obstacle of the  FIP Silver Narbonne .

Associated with  Marie-Amelie Dardaine she will face  Fiona Ligi  et  Steffi Merah  in a particularly interesting all-French duel, scheduled as the third match this Thursday at  Silk Sets Padel Narbonne  (not before 13) to be followed live on Padel Magazine TV.

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The team Padel Magazine has been trying to offer you the best of padel since 2013, but also surveys and analyses to try to understand the world of padel. From the game to the politics of our sport, Padel Magazine is at your service.

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