Jerzy Janowicz  – nicknamed  JJ  – continues to make waves, no longer on the tennis courts, but now on the padel courts. The former Davis Cup player for Poland, a semi-finalist at Wimbledon in 2013, spoke to us at the FIP SILVER Côte du Midi in Set Padel Narbonne for an unfiltered interview about padel. And you'll see, the 2m04 player still doesn't mince his words. Quite the opposite.

From tennis to padel: a gradual transition

"I started playing padel several years ago, a bit for fun," he says. "It wasn't a regular practice, I don't train every week, it's primarily for fun. Today, it's more than a hobby, but it's not a career either."

JJ isn't completely ruling out a more professional approach. "I'd like to play more seriously, but I'm waiting for improvements in the organization, especially from the federations."

Motivation hampered by injuries and the realities of padel

After a grueling tennis career marked by numerous injuries and surgeries, JJ confesses to having lost the desire. "Tennis isn't fun for me anymore. In recent years, it had become a nightmare. Padel, on the other hand, is much easier on the body. The court is smaller, we play doubles, and the rallies are shorter."

And even though he acknowledges that he still has a lot of room for improvement, particularly in defense and in using the glass, he remains clear-headed: "If I were to aim for the highest level, I would have to train every day. But I have a family, two children. Today, that's my priority."

Training in Alicante… when he can

When preparing for a tournament, JJ goes to train in Alicante, Spain. "I train with players like Alberto Garcia, Victor Ruiz, Sanyo Gutiérrez, Miki Solbes... I play practice matches with them. But in Poland, it's impossible to improve. There are no coaches, no top-level players."

The situation of Polish padel remains very problematic in his eyes. "The amateur level is progressing, yes, but not the professional level. And the federation is, to be polite, very bad." He, who played for Poland for ten years in the Davis Cup, does not see himself joining the national padel team: "It's as much a choice on their part as it is mine. Even though I'm by far the best in the country, things aren't changing."

Its strengths… and its weaknesses

"My strong point is definitely the smash. And the volley. I have a consistent, fast volley with a lot of spin. My smash can come from anywhere. However, I need to improve my defense, especially against the glass. I come from tennis, I'm not used to using the walls."

Tennis or padel for your children?

The answer is clear: "They'll start with tennis. It's better to start with that. If that doesn't work, padel can come later. But doing the opposite is almost impossible. Tennis requires much more discipline. If you're very good at tennis, you have every chance of succeeding in padel."

But with equal popularity and money? "Then I'd say padel. It's easier to succeed in padel than in tennis. Tennis training is much more demanding."

Padel must learn from tennis at the level of authorities

"Professional padel still has a long way to go. Even simple things, like communicating with the International Padel Federation, Padel (FIP), are complicated. They send me emails in Spanish, even though I don't speak that language. The comparison with the ATP is blatant."

JJ is also critical of the rules: "We change the rules during the season. That would never be acceptable in tennis. Padel needs to become more professional."

He is also cautious about the question of surfaces: "We can vary the bounce, but the stability of the ground must remain the same. On a slippery court, we lose responsiveness. And given the small size of the court, it's too much of a handicap."

The golden point? It is against

"I prefer the advantage game. The golden point makes the game more random, it levels the playing field. Padel is also a sport of mental endurance."

Former tennis players in padel?

"Federer and Nadal play for fun. But at a good level, I would say Ferrero was one of the best. Carlos Moyà too. In Poland, I am by far the best."

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.

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