Fiona Ligi, a beautiful run in Jersey that comes at just the right time!

Au FIP Bronze Island Padel Jersey , Fiona Ligi et Maaike Betz have had a great run for their first association. The Frenchwoman looks back on her match analysis and her ambitions for the rest of the season, with the hope of being part of the French team for the Euro. Padel Cup

First association and first successes

For this tournament, Fiona Ligi teamed up with the Dutchwoman for the first time Maaike Betz .

"We saw each other a bit at the FIPs. I knew her from the World Championships and the European Championships, but we'd never played together. We said that one day, we'd try to schedule an FIP together. The opportunity arose here."

The first round, against a team with no points in the standings, was quick. But Fiona knew the rest would be more challenging.
In the round of 16, the duo faced Stephanie Weterings / Tia Louisa Norton , a dangerous Anglo-Dutch pair, seeded number 6 in the tournament.

"We prepared for the match as best we could, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses. It was tough, but we went for the third set by putting everything we had in place. Our efforts paid off, and we were very happy with this victory."

A frustrating quarter-final against Navarro / Mello

In the quarter-finals, the opposition moved up another notch with Carolina Navarro et Bruna Mello , seeded No. 4.

"We won the first set by playing very well; they made a lot of mistakes. In the second, they woke up, made fewer mistakes, and we fell a little. In the last, we didn't take advantage of the important moments. Carolina's experience played a role. It's frustrating because we had the points... but we didn't take advantage of them."

Despite the defeat, Fiona takes away a lot of positives:

"For a first with Maaike, we are very happy with the result and the level of play. It's a very good tournament and an encouraging result, even if there is still this frustration."

An important tournament in the season

The FIP Bronze in Jersey was not a tournament like any other for Fiona.

"All tournaments are important because we want to perform as well as possible. We give it our all so we don't have any regrets and are proud of ourselves."

The playing conditions were sometimes unusual, with semi-overcast, backlighting, wind and sun.

"That's not what bothered us the most, because it was the same for everyone. What matters is being tactically strong."

The sequel with Charlotte Soubrié

The rest of the season will be with Charlotte Soubrié :

"We intend to do our utmost and put all our resources into achieving great performances. The next tournaments will be tough, but that motivates us to reach a high level of play against great opposition."

Objective: French team

The major objective remains the selection for the French team for major international events.

"That's what's closest to my heart. I'm doing everything I can to stay there: better preparation, better training, better programming."

Fiona is currently playing tournaments to maintain a high level of intensity and face as many players as possible who are likely to be present at the European Championships in October .

"We'll continue until the end of August with two FIPs: the FIP Gran Canaria with Charlotte, then the FIP Silver Isla de Palma. Then, a short week of recovery without completely stopping training."

While waiting for the decision on selection for the French team, Fiona remains focused and determined:

"My goal is to do my best and continue to give my all. We'll see the verdict in a few weeks."

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.