Fiona LIGI, 4th French player in the ranking of World Padel Tour and member of the France team tells us about his involvement in the padel, but also hopes both for her and for the padel French.

Lorenzo Lecci Lopez thus collected the words of Fiona.

The FFT invests a lot

The FFT invests a lot for the padel but especially in financial endowment in the Prize money during tournaments, beautiful public places in tournaments or even aid for us, French players engaged in the World Padel Tour.

Afterwards it's true that she could give a little more in terms of events padel in France with the best players, in order to develop the padel (whether it be internships, tournaments with players, etc.) The FFT is not yet fully invested in the padel as it is in tennis, but over time it will change, you have to be patient. She tries to do the best she can, moving slowly but surely.

Le padel can arouse vocations for tennis

The FFT can use the padel to increase the number of tennis licensees. The padel can arouse vocations for tennis. But I think the padel is still underdeveloped and that the opposite should be done instead: use tennis to increase the number of licensees padel. Tennis is anchored all over the world, professional players can make a living from it, which is complicated padel. Use the padel to increase the number of tennis licensees, it is to sign the death of the padel .

Tennis and padel : 2 different sports?

From my point of view, yes. THE padel and tennis are really different. As much when we come from tennis, there are some similar gestures so we are not too lost when we arrive at the padel. But the opposite is not. The gestures of the blows, the positioning, the physical effort and the zones are totally different. All of these changes are often disruptive when moving from one to the other. I think we should not promote the padel as a complement to tennis. This distinction must be made, because the padel is emerging, it is played differently and above all it is much more fun and accessible to everyone regardless of age.

In a few years, the independence of the padel is not to be ruled out

For the moment, the padel is very well under the tutelage of the FFT. On the other hand, over time and over the years, the padel Having its own Federation would be good, if of course we find the right people and with the necessary money.

Le padel is mainly leisure

In France, the Padel is largely amateur and leisure. Very few players want to professionalize because it requires going to Spain. In addition, many players have reached an age that no longer allows them to move towards a professional level, because they lead a family life, no longer have the physical condition... If the number of licensees is changing it is good- safe thanks to these leisure players of all levels.

However, players who want to become professionals should not be neglected, because thanks to them the promotion of padel will be larger. And people refer a lot to professional players, especially if they are French.

Develop the padel hand in hand with the FFT

The FFT currently has significant resources to develop the Padel. It takes French players under its wing to represent this sport and promote it to players all over France, and to people who discover it. Something that private structures could not do. It helps professional French players through grants, something that the structures could not do.

Le padel shadow tennis

Le Padel is a sport which is very obscure in tennis, and sometimes the FFT could make believe that it does not give itself the means to develop it. Yet as I said rather factually, we can see that she is trying. Maybe she does things awkwardly.

The funds are poorly invested. French professional players have a purse which is not very high and the efforts required for bonuses are really hard.

I think that the FFT is still undecided on its willingness to fully invest in the Padel. The places within the FFT are at stake. Suddenly, it is certainly difficult to really move forward.

The other countries say that we have a generous federation. And I believe it is. But it is also said that with the budget put on the table by the FFT, all the federations would do better. Pretty easy to say that. Now, in all sincerity, I think there is some truth in what our neighbors are saying.

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 !

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