After qualifying for the main board of FFT Padel Tour Perpignan 2023 and the 3 group victories, Cyril Hanouna confided in the incredible sporting and human adventure that he is living in padel.

“I wasn't good before this P2000, but now…”

Teo Zapata was monstrous. But I'll tell you, I wasn't so good before I started this P2000. Now that we managed to pass these qualifications, I'm like crazy. We are talking about a main draw in P2000 anyway, the elite tournaments of the French circuit.

I play all the time. And playing with Teo is a great opportunity. He brings me a lot tactically. I think that's where I feel better than before.

I manage to defend better, to take my time. I feel more confident.

Teo Zapata as Kylian Mbappe

It must be said, Teo outsmarts the opponents. Even when he doesn't touch the ball, he thwarts them.

It's like Kylian Mbappé in football, we're going to play differently because there's a superb player opposite. Teo, it's the same thing, the opponents are forced not to play as usual. They need to change their game.

Playing with Teo regularly is also a plus. We know each other better and better and we have a tactic that is starting to pay off.

An entry in the Top 200?

We did several shifts in P1000, now this 16th in P2000.

For this P2000, I had planned to return after my matches today. I'm happy, I'm crazy to see what we managed to do. I have a crazy partner. And it is true that I am advantaged.

With the points accumulated in P1000 and in this tournament, I think, I hope to be able to break into the top 200 in June. That would already be amazing to me.

“I have more confidence in myself and it shows on the track”

I hit a lot of balls. And this regularity, I also explain it by the confidence acquired lately.

I also lost weight, 8 to 9 kilos. Physically, I feel much better. Even in this 3rd game, I stayed in my game, and I had no physical absences.

Before, I had these fatigues at times because of the accumulated matches. Physical labor pays. In this great tie-break against Harold Bernard and Damien Fave, physically I was fine, mentally too. I don't take my time anymore.

The Top 100 objective too complicated?

I think before I was scared too. I told myself that I had nothing to do here, it's not my place.

And now, I say to myself, even if I am much weaker than the players here, I try to play my part, to gain confidence and to outsmart the opponents.

I think the top 100 goal will be really very complicated. I try to get results, it takes me a lot of time. I lose everything with this padel, my family, my friends (laughs)… But I love the atmosphere.

I'm afraid to reach my goal

I'm afraid to reach the goal because I could go down very quickly too.

Already there, I would like to savor the ranking of the month of June. Because if I already see a 1 in front of my ranking, it will be amazing. It could boost me even more, this ranking can also protect me from top pairs (seeded). I fight.

Tomorrow, we play Mathieu Armagnac and Alexandre Toppin. It will be hard. We will try to create the exploit.

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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