« For me, it's too early to create a French Federation of Padel. sport is still little known in France, when we talk about padel to people they ask you on which body of water you practice and it's still far from being known everywhere in France. » Nicolas Herve de Beaulieu.

This quote may seem caricatured, but it is nevertheless quite close to reality. Its author is Nicolas Hervé de Beaulieu, the person in charge of 4PADEL Bordeaux , a private club of padel belonging to the group "the Five" has a great experience in this sport.

The situation is difficult, because the padel is still unknown in France, even if our sport is booming. If this is less frequent than 5 years ago, its nautical namesake (the paddle) does not make it easy, often causing confusion. The first challenge to develop the padel is to make it known on French territory.

The economic power of FFT

The arrival of the FFT first appeared as a blessing for a sport that was sorely lacking in financial resources to develop.

According to Lionel maltese, in charge of the economic development of the FFT, the Federation weighs 325 million euros. The profit of Roland Garros is 75 million euros: a very important financial resource that the tennis federation receives each year.

The investment capacity of the FFT is therefore considerable, and it is the use of this financial resource that is to be studied for the members of the FFT.

The answers to the following questions determine the investments of the FFT and the latter's policy towards padel : How much to invest in padel ? Who should be given the means to develop the padel in France ? How to invest while ensuring to benefit from positive benefits for the federation?

The FFT has the support of the International Federation

 "The FFT is very involved in the international federation politically with Hubert Picquier", tells me Melissa Martin, 3rd French player in the WPT ranking, during our interview.

Indeed, Hubert Picquier is the elected official in charge of the development of tennis clubs and padel at the FFT, and member of the board of the COMEX of the international federation. He is therefore very involved and influential within the international federation. Thus, his word will be listened to and his requests facilitated.

An intoxicating development project

Through the launch of several projects, the French Tennis Federation shows his strong will to do padel one of its priorities.

The creation of national training center (CNE) of padel will allow French players to have a real headquarters with the best infrastructure. This training center will nevertheless be accompanied by a large number of tennis courts, thus showing the willingness of the FFT to combine these two sports.

The establishment of FFT Padel Tour allows French players to play in a competitive championship on a national scale, but also to show in French cities to promote this sport.

The establishment ofa double license is questionable for purists of padel, but it allows the latter to have a gateway to tennis.

Finally, the financial support to tennis clubs who wish to build courts of padel in their infrastructure, clearly encourages them to do so.

Inequalities can shatter the world of padel

However, several inequalities in the aid granted by the FFT appear, generating the dissatisfaction of the private actors of the padel.

FFT is on the right track, but it can do much better. Considering the financial resources and the influence of the FFT, the question does not lie in the capacity to do better, but rather in the will to listen and to move forward.

For this, the FFT will have to change this music with many actors, players and clubs of padel who feel that the main objective of FFT is to use the padel to diversify the offer of FFT affiliated tennis clubs.

Paradoxically, the FFT invests like no other in the padel. Shouldn't we rather help this great Federation to make better use of all this financial and human investment?

Could we not create within the FFT, a Federation Dedicated to padel or a structure linked to the FFT but at the same time thought out and adapted to the world of padel ?

Develop the padel hand in hand with the FFT seems the most interesting hypothesis. But the FFT must absolutely “move"And"show concretely that it can evolve quickly to rebalance this development of padel".

If the theme of private clubs padel is not the only theme, we have already seen the FFT and the new association of clubs padel private people want to get along and pursue an adventure in perfect intelligence.

From his names, we can guess his Spanish and Italian origins. Lorenzo is a multilingual passionate about sports: journalism by vocation and events by worship are his two legs. He is the international gentleman of Padel Magazine. You will often see it on the various international competitions, but also on the major French events. @eyeofpadel on Instagram to see his best photos of padel !