David Matéo: “The padel, team sport like football”

David Matéo, the founder of the Via circuitpadel, director of numerous international tournaments padel and promoter of the Viapadel Cup, looks back on his journey in the world of padel and evokes a particular event: the Viapadel Cup, which is fast approaching.

An interclub format

Routepadel Cup is going extremely well, we have been overwhelmed with requests, it's really fantastic because it's a tournament that is close to our hearts.

Last year, we had 19 teams of 4 players (3M + 1 F), because I remind you that it is an “interclub” format tournament, and this year we have 32! It's huge, as our friend Mario Cordero would say.

Le padel, team sport like football

Coming from football, I have always loved team sports, and padel, even if there are 2 of us and that's already good, I like even more the idea of being 4, or even more, with all the accompanying people. Last year, there was a crazy atmosphere, partly thanks to the Agen players who were completely unleashed. Plus, in 2020 and 2021 I had to cancel because of damn Covid, so that means a lot to me.

From all over France

We are really happy, because they come from all over France, and above all, we are happy to find the players who were already there in Lloret in 2022 and in Blanes in 2023, which proves that we are doing a good job. This year we also moved upmarket with a huge club, Tarragona Padel Club, which has 11 pitches, with swimming pool, gym and a very large terrace where we will organize a big barbecue on Thursday May 9. We will stay at Oassium Park, where we have privatized the hotel for the occasion. It's a 4-star superior with breakfast included, 3 hours of spa per day (it's 650 m²) and around ten swimming pools, it's crazy.

Du padel but not only

No, not only that. This is 30% of padel, 30% relaxation and 30% party, but the math is wrong, Kevin, 10% is missing. There, I let your imagination run wild, haha.

Routepadel continues its development

Haha, Francky, if I only had the Cup, I would be bored, lol. This 2023-2024 season is really nonsense, the madness of padel is invading France at high speed and has already conquered the OPs for several years now. The first season in 2019 of Viapadel had 8 tournaments, this year, just from September to April (I haven't yet covered the last 4 months of competition), we are at 46 tournaments. We are really overwhelmed, but fortunately, I am well accompanied with Jennifer ALCALA JAP1, Thomas LEFEVRE JAP1 and David PAILLER JAP2, who will all be on deck in Tarragona so as not to miss anything. Without forgetting my wife “Fanfan”, who took care of communication and research for the club and the hotel. I think for 2025 we will stay here, because we will struggle to find better.

FIP Rise Canet-en-Roussillon and a FIP in Barcarès in 2025?

In 2023, I was in Bourg-en-Bresse and it was really great. I can't repeat it enough, but the work done by Alex Picquier and his team was of a very high level. For 2024, if the budgets are validated, I will be in Mauritius in November for a FIP Star, and in December, back in Bourg-en-Bresse! I met the town hall of Canet this month and we are going to try to redo a FIP in the summer of 2025, and I have an appointment at Barcarès in March, we will try to see if it is feasible . Afterwards, I had a few calls for other FIPs in France, we will see.

Routepadel Cup, GO!

To return to the Viapadel Cup, we've had a few withdrawals, so if people are reading us, we're missing:

1 intermediate team
1 intermediate player
1 leisure player
1 male and 1 female player at leisure

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.