From P500 to FIP Finals: David Matéo and his 70 tournaments per year!

Passionate and visionary, David Mateo has established itself as one of the key players in the development of paddle in France. Prolific tournament organizer (FIP Tour), founder of the circuit Viapadel and initiator of numerous projects including the upcoming creation of a unique padel club in the Eastern Pyrenees, he helped popularize this sport through local, national and international events. Interview.

My beginnings in padel: a sporting revelation

A childhood friend, David Pailler, today JAP2 at Viapadel, invited me to discover a new sport. He told me: “Come and try it, you’ll see, it’s nice.” After a first match, I found it interesting, but I didn't continue. A few months later, while I was playing futsal at Five in Perpignan, two padel courts were installed. With Laurent Ricart, a former football and futsal teammate, we decided to give it a try. It was in 2015 - 2016, and I stopped everything to devote myself fully to padel. A year later, I launched my first championship at Five with 10 teams. Very quickly, we moved on to 20then 30then 40 teams. The tidal wave was launched. In 2019, frustrated by the low number of tournaments in the Pyrénées-Orientales despite around fifteen clubs, my wife Christelle and I created the circuit Viapadel. The first tournament took place in February 2019, and we closed the season with eight events. Today we are organizing nearly 70 tournaments per year, ranging from leisure to competitions FIP. All this is possible thanks to a solid team: Jennifer Alcala (JAP1), Thomas Lefevre (JAP1), David Pailler (JAP2) and Christelle for communication, supported by the application Sports Management.

Experience and mistakes: learning to move forward

Organizing tournaments has taught me a lot, not only about the appearance logistics, but also on the level human being. Managing so many players every week has allowed me to understand the different personalities, their ways of thinking, laughing or criticizing. You have to be a little maso et chameleon to hold on. I also made mistakes, like during a P500 men in 2019, where I allowed a mixed pair. At the time, I thought I was following a precedent, but the FFT did not allow it. This decision has generated a controversy and tensions with the committee. With time and effort, relations have calmed down. Today, everything is fine.

International tournaments: a springboard for French padel

En 2020, Jean-Charles Boisson, elected representative of Canet, proposed a tournament on the beach of Canet-en-Roussillon. With Alain Henry, my wife Christelle, Franck Binisti, we organized a FIP Rise in August 2021. This was the first international tournament in France, a great success. Since then, I have participated in events such as the FIP Gold in Perpignan in 2022 or FIP Rise in Bourg-en-Bresse in 2023. In October 2024, I joined the team of FIP Gold Lyon, organized by Lionel Roux. My best memory, however, remains the FIP Star of Mauritius in November 2024, a perfect mix of work and vacation.

From P500 to FIP Finals: David Matéo and his 70 tournaments per year!

The future: ambitious projects for 2025

Year 2025 looks set to be exciting. We are maintaining a pace of 70 tournaments per year Viapadel, including the fourth edition of the Viapadel Cup in Tarragona, bringing together 250 players. On the plan international, I will organize the first one FIP Silver in Reunion in October, followed by a FIP Platinum in Mauritius. I am also working on an ambitious project: the creation of my own club, with 11 indoor courts over 4 m², a large clubhouse, and high quality facilities.

For someone without a great deal of education or special training, I am proud of what I have accomplished. As it turns out, with passion et determination, we can achieve great things. Have a great year 2025, and see you soon on the padel courts!

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.