Present at the 10th edition of the Cupra Padel Point-Round taking place in Rennes this weekend, one of the prospects of the padel French, Dylan Guichard, came to our microphone.

Roland-Garros: “We didn't expect to see so many people for qualifying”

Padel Magazine : Last July we could see you on the courts of Roland-Garros within the framework of the qualifications of the Greenweez Paris Premier Padel Major alongside Ludo Cancel. Unfortunately you lost in qualifying against Nallé Grinda and Ruben River Serra. More than a month and a half later, what is your assessment of this experience?

Dylan : “To have the privilege of being able to play at Roland-Garros, some time ago I would never have imagined being able to do that. Then having the luxury of having an almost full court with a lot of supporters, I think it's the first time.

Also being able to discover Roland-Garros like the pros, being in the real locker room of the pros with the real physiotherapists, etc., was really incredible.

If not on the match, I think we missed a little better everywhere. We played against Ruben Rivera who was a very good player and who still is, and Nallé Grinda who plays less but who is very experienced and who is very good. He also played a very good game that day with very few faults. We lacked a bit of rigor and aggressiveness, I also think that tactically we could have done better.

We locked ourselves in the diagonal of Ludo against Ruben a little too much, he had trouble gaining the upper hand, which is normal.

And even I think it was a little 50-50, I was also taken in on a lot of points. In the end we got broken twice, I think it was down to the details. Experience played a role and the fact that we weren't quite up to it yet, quite simply.

Afterwards, we learn a lot of lessons from it. We were generally satisfied with what we did, because we haven't played together for very long and it was already very good to be able to evolve at RG. »

Padel Magazine : Do you think there will be a before and an after Greenweez Paris Premier Padel Major ?

Dylan : “I think the organization has been amazing. There were no problems, we were very well received whether it was in terms of transport, hotel… There was nothing to complain about in terms of the conditions of the players.

I think there will be a before and after in the sense that the tournament was scheduled late for a tournament of this magnitude. I imagine that next year if there is more communication earlier, the audience could be increased tenfold.

In terms of qualifying, we didn't expect to see so many people, because in the end it was the weekend and it was really great. There were really a lot of people. But I think announcing it earlier and putting more emphasis on communication, combined with the evolution of padel a year from now, I think there will be a lot more people and it will be twice or even three times louder. »

Dylan Guichard Ludovic Cancel on court n°3 at Roland Garros

One year in “100%” mode padel" in Barcelona

Padel Magazine : When we interviewed you in Doha for Premier Padel, you told us that you were in Madrid both for the lessons and for the padel. At present where are you? Are you still in Madrid?

Dylan : “So now things have changed quite a bit. I returned from Madrid last May at the end of my school year. I worked this summer and there I decided to try my luck for a year, in 100% mode padel. So I'm leaving Madrid to go to Barcelona. We're going to train at Pablo Ayma's academy, and I have good friends who follow me: we're going to be in a roommate with Manu Vives, Julien Seurin and Philémon Raichman. It's going to be great, because we're also going to be a bit with Ben (Tison) and Scat' (Jeremy Scatena) in training and the goal is to reach the highest level.

For now we will stay on the FIP circuit. We're going to focus a lot on that and try to do as many tournaments as possible by December. The objective is to try to get our points back in the Major qualifications in Mexico at the end of November-beginning of December. »

Padel Magazine : Precisely how did you manage to reconcile your career as a football player padel and your studies ?

Dylan : “Frankly last year it was not easy because I was a little in between. Looking back, I tell myself that it was still good and I made good progress, but I had the impression of doing everything halfway: I had the training to padel in the morning and then it was the race to go to college. I didn't have the time to do everything I wanted, especially not the time to do the physical training which is the most important for me I think, because that's where I have the most shortcomings.

I think that up to the French top 50-30 is reconcilable. After that, since I want to try the adventure and why not be a professional, I want to give myself fully to the padel and quit my studies. If ever it doesn't go well, I know I have my license and I will resume without problem. »

“In symbiosis” with Ludovic Cancel during the Mas P2000

Padel Magazine : At present you are part of the beautiful promises of the padel French. Ludo and you missed a first title together on a P2000. What do you need to pass this course according to you?

Dylan : “I think that mentally we were there, I especially liked our attitude in this tournament. We were both in symbiosis, we got on really well, we fought well.

I've been around 30th place for a long time and I hadn't won these type of cleaver matches yet. The very best weren't there, but we were able to seize the opportunity. Certainly not fully because there was this defeat in the final, but frankly at the time I was still very satisfied with my tournament. If before the start of the competition I had been told that I was going to lose in the final, I would have signed immediately. And then it's true that it's a bit disappointing, because in the end I think it was 50-50 in that match, but Yann and Manu played very well.

I think the difference was made at the level of aggressiveness: each start of the set we left with new balls, we were taken in because both of them play very quickly and smash very well. We were surprised and that's what it was all about. In the end there was also a physical dimension which played out during the game. Physically the two are better than me, I was still good but I lacked this explosiveness, this little extra step that I had in the previous match.

But overall it's still a very good tournament. »

Objective: reach the quarter-finals at the next French championships

Padel Magazine : The French championships are approaching, with whom are you going to play them and have you set a specific objective?

Dylan : “It will of course be with Ludo Cancel, following what we have done it is logical. We won the Brittany championships together, it was cool.

Have we set goals? Honestly no, we didn't really discuss that. Afterwards, there is still an objective which is to be in the 8 seeds for these French championships. Ludo is very well ranked in the French ranking, as I was in Madrid I haven't done many tournaments in France lately. But here I am around the 220th place in the world, normally there are two or three FIP tournaments before the French championships. I hope to be able to get into the top 200 and why not be 8th, 9th or 10th in France and be in the 8 seeds, because inevitably that makes the tournament easier: it opens the way to a potential quarterback much more easily than in being behind (in the standings), where it's a little more down to luck.

In general we would be happy to be in the quarters, but semi-finals would be great! In any case, the most important thing would be to have the rigor that we had in the tournaments before and why not have this “extra soul” and go get something beautiful. But in any case the primary objective is to reach the quarters, but if we go further, so much the better! »

Dylan-Guichard-Cupra-Rennes-1

The ambition to integrate the internship of the French team in Barcelona

Padel Magazine : A fairly busy end of the year, since the world championships in Qatar are also coming soon after. The France team, does it run through the back of your mind?

Dylan : “Honestly, I think about it a bit, it's normal: we're a bit in the circle of players who can claim it. Afterwards I don't fixate on it, because most objectively I don't think I have my place in the France team yet. I think there are at least 8 players (if not more) who are better than me.

On the other hand, I know that I'm thinking about the internship and I would like to be there, because it's always fun and what's more, I know that on the CV for the sponsors it's a great experience. If I can get into the top 10 as quickly as possible and take part in this camp, that's cool. I know there are only 12 places, it's quite limited and I'm not sure I'm there. But that, I really think about it. I think it's still a little early to be in the 8, but afterwards Pablo said that he was basing himself a lot on the projects and that he would be basing a lot on what he would see during this internship.

I necessarily want to do well and believe in it, but after objectively there must be 8 players who can claim more than me. »

His opinion on the Rennes edition of the Cupra Padel-Point Tour

Padel Magazine : Today we find ourselves in a rather special setting since we are here for the Cupra Padel-Point Tour. How does it feel to see such an event of padel in your city of Rennes?

Dylan : “It's the first one I've been to but I've seen each time on social media how big it was at each previous tournament. I found it great, each time they manage to bring back a lot of people. The fact of having events, exhibitions and being able to have the good players play with those who are discovering the padel or those who are at a much more amateur level, I find it really fun and great !

The concept is great, I had doubts about the period and the fact that it was in Rennes, but in the end the setting is great, this club is great. Frankly there were a lot of people and especially during the exhibition, the edition is great and the circuit is super cool. »

Nasser Hoverini

Passionate about football, I discovered the padel in 2019. Since then, it's been crazy love with this sport to the point of abandoning my favorite sport.

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