These last weeks, tournament cases padel disturbed by climatic conditions have multiplied, so that some observers, tired by the situations generated, simply felt that it was time to stop the outdoor tournaments!

If it seems certain that in the middle of summer, the competitions can take place without problem outside, from the beginning of September the situation is greatly complicated in Europe. Even before! With the phenomenon of climate change, we are no longer immune to anything!

Professional tournaments stopped due to rain

Two weeks ago in Monaco, during theAPT Hublot Monaco Master, the eighth and quarter-finals took place only in the “Tennis Padel Sun ”and not in front of the casino as expected, which was the main attraction of the tournament in the city of the president of the APT Fabrice Pastor. We can say that the APT has not been spared this year since it had already been the case in Paraguay, Portugal, and even very recently in Seville.

Of course, the important thing is that the tournaments were able to be played, but in terms of organization, this calls into question a lot of things and during certain events the organizers do not necessarily have a “Plan B”.

Rain APT Padel Asuncion Open Tour 2021
Rain during the APT tournament Padel Tour in Asuncion, Paraguay. March 2021

The presence of rain during the course of a tournament padel is not something new. At the beginning of September of last year, in the tournament of World Padel Tour in Sardinia, near Cagliari, the rain was present and it had generated a modification in the round of XNUMX du tournament. This year, in the same competition, this time it is the quarter-finals that were disrupted. 

America VS Europe is another very good example. This tournament bringing together the best players in the world in Sweden could not go as planned due to the rain which fell on Bastad. And this even if the organizers had chosen to organize the competition at the end of July, a date on which it is not supposed to rain too much ...

We also remember the 2018 world championships in Paraguay, which ended in a very small indoor club because of the floods that fell on the capital.

And you will see that these problems do not only affect international tournaments!

Not spared in France

Two weeks ago during the P2000 of the Pyramids, the rain was invited at the end of the afternoon, jostling the quarter-finals and asking the organizers to review their schedule. The away matches had to be played on the club's semi-covered courts. Fortunately, the rain did not last long and the next day the competition was able to start again ...

Worse, last weekend, at French Championships, the rain made its appearance on the side of Cabriès, forcing the organizers to play the finals indoors. With a key inability to go out for the players and a drastic reduction in the number of spectators. Quite a shame to play a final in the club when a central with stands is planned outside ...

French Championship indoor final 2021

These events have proven one thing, and that is that tournament organizers have to juggle this annoying factor to say the least and when the downpours decide to point their noses, they have to be responsive to find solutions. solutions as soon as possible. Even though matches may eventually take place, we often end up with a less interesting spectacle than if it had been thought of from the outset in a room with stands provided for this purpose...

Today, in France, many clubs have more grounds outdoors than indoors. We therefore understand that outdoor tournaments have a bright future ahead of them, and this is a very good thing because it is always pleasant to play and watch padel outdoors. Moreover, with the pandemic, it was obviously more judicious to organize outdoor tournaments, where the risk of transmission of the virus is lower.

On the other hand, it may be necessary to think about limit big outdoor competitions outside of July-August...

Less spectacle indoors?

In tennis, many tournaments are also played outdoors. The schedule ofATP is designed to organize tournaments at periods of the year when it is warmer and there is less rain.

Spectators generally prefer to enjoy thesummer atmosphere in the open air surrounding the competition, so that the organizers are ready to take the risk, despite colossal tv rights and the need to provide entertainment to viewers. Indeed, they believe that by organizing these competitions indoors, the atmosphere that accompanies the tournament would be diminished, just like the presence of spectators.

Nevertheless, we realize that the World Padel Tour, which offers a large number of indoor tournaments, manages to offer a magnificent spectacle, with a large number of spectators. In addition, players have the opportunity to give the best of themselves in optimal playing conditions, without being bothered by the sun, the wind ...

Palau Sant Jordi WPT

 

 

 

Although rain is a natural phenomenon that we cannot control, it can be warned and anticipated, as we saw during the APT Master in Monaco, where the matches ended up taking place in the Club planned for the previas, without generating a long wait and date changes. Above all, the public was able to be present in the stand which surrounds the central at Tennis Padel Sun. This may be the key to the future of outdoor tournaments: find the most qualitative alternative possible in the event of rain. This is what we see in tennis with the roofs that have appeared on the tournaments of Grand Chelem. To padel, we are obviously not there yet ...

So it's up to you to give us your opinion as a player or spectator: do you think the padel Should you bet on indoor tournaments as a priority, or do you prefer the charm of outdoor tournaments, even if it means having to accept some unforeseen events?

Team Padel May

Team Padel Magazine tries to offer you since 2013 the best of padel, but also surveys, analyzes to try to understand the world of padel. From the game to the politics of our sport, Padel Magazine is at your service.

On the same subject

Tags