"Roger is interested in padel but he doesn't have enough time to dedicate to it. Maybe the day he retires from tennis, we can try to get him into padel."
These words, we recorded them in 2017 in the mouth of the Croatian Ivan Ljubicic, friend and coach of Roger Federer. Ljubicic is himself a padel enthusiast, which he plays regularly in Beausoleil, not far from Monaco, where he lives.
In fact, there is one observation that everyone agrees on: Roger Federer, 41, has all the technical, physical and mental qualities required to become an incredible padel player. But also all the assets to be – if he wishes – a future ambassador of this sport [the first person who says "the future Swiss Hanouna of padel", we ban his url from this site!].
Born to play padel well
Here are five reasons that lead us to imagine that the Swiss star, who will retire from tennis in a few days, could convert to padel:
► An exceptional athlete.- Thanks to his speed of movement, his power on the smash, his touch on the ball and his ease on the volley, Federer seems born to play padel well, as we wrote last year. Moreover, the Swiss is a good doubles player: didn't he win Olympic gold in 2008 in Beijing alongside Stan Wawrinka?
► The taste for play and competition.- If "Rodger" continued his tennis career until the age of 41, it is because he was able to maintain his taste and pleasure for the game. This is very rare for an athlete whose professional career lasts nearly 25 years. Having fun while playing is the recipe for longevity in tennis... and even more so in padel - the ultimate fun sport.

► Long careers in padel.- The examples of Fernando Belasteguin (9e world at 43), Miguel Lamperti (20e at almost 44) or Carolina Navarro (26e at 46 years old) show that a padel professional can remain competitive at the highest level for longer than a tennis player. Federer's exceptional longevity in tennis, linked to rare natural qualities and top-notch physical preparation (signed Pierre Paganini), potentially promises him great years in a sport like padel, which is less demanding because it is played in doubles and less tiring than tennis.
A Belasteguin / Federer dream team for Wilson?
► Wilson's weight.- Just as he was loyal to his coaches and his physical trainer, Federer was so throughout his career in the Wilson snowshoes. With the retirement of the Swiss, the American equipment manufacturer has lost its best racket "seller" of all time. Wilson, which is betting big on padel, would surely welcome the creation of a dream team of ambassadors made up of "Bela" and "Rodger"!
► Developing padel in Switzerland.- A reconversion of Roger Federer in padel can be imagined as a player, but also as an investor: there is indeed much to do in Switzerland to develop the practice. As we wrote it recently, the country currently has only a hundred tracks, but the potential is significant for the years to come. Roger Federer has all the charisma and financial strength necessary to support the explosion of padel in Switzerland.
Of course, Federer and padel fans would like the Swiss to turn to this discipline and contribute to its global growth. But it is naturally up to him to make this decision. And perhaps he will prefer to do… paddle on Lake Zurich, with his children.
After 40 years of tennis, Jérôme fell into the padel pot in 2018. Since then, he thinks about it every morning while shaving… but never shaves with a pala in hand! A journalist in Alsace, his only ambition is to share his passion with you, whether you speak French, Italian, Spanish or English.