Jerzy Janowicz: "Today, padel is first and foremost a pleasure"

Former 14th ranked tennis player in the world , finalist of the Masters 1000 Paris-Bercy and semi-finalist of Wimbledon , Jerzy Janowicz He is now continuing his adventure in padel. Present at FIP Silver of Narbonne The Pole returned to Padel Magazine about his new life, his role within the Polish Federation, the development of padel in his country and the memories that marked his career.

"I don't really train anymore."

Defeated in his first match in the final bracket by the French Lucas Pillon et Maxime Joris Janowicz is not looking for any excuses, even though he admits he no longer devotes much time to his playing career.

“I’m 36 years old, I hardly train anymore. Before this tournament, I hadn’t played for two weeks. Today, I’m more involved in my role as vice-president of the Polish Padel Federation than in competition.”

The Pole also believes he paid the price for the efforts he made the previous day in qualifying.

"I played two tough matches yesterday. I was probably a bit more tired today. If I trained more, every other day for example, I think I could perform at a more consistent level."

Jerzy Janowicz: "Today, padel is first and foremost a pleasure."

From tennis to padel, almost naturally

It was towards the end of his tennis career that Janowicz discovered padel.

“Friends suggested I play in Poland. At that time, I was injured and had more free time. I tried it, and then continued a little longer after I stopped playing tennis.”

Currently ranked 521th in the world He continues to participate in a few tournaments, but without any real sporting objective.

"I play mainly for fun. If I win, great. If I lose, oh well. I know I can lose because I don't train enough."

The former tennis player also points out an economic reality of the circuit.

"The professional level is very high. You have to invest a lot of money to play on the circuit and, today, I no longer have that motivation."

Jerzy Janowicz: “If there was more money in this sport, maybe I would get more involved”

Vice-President of the Polish Federation

Although Janowicz has stepped away from competition, he remains very involved in the development of padel in Poland.

Vice-President of the Polish Padel Federation He observes a rapid progression of the discipline.

"Padel is growing tremendously. In the last three or four years, many new clubs have opened. The development is especially visible among amateurs."

However, the professional level remains limited.

"We have good amateur players who are increasingly travelling to FIP tournaments, but there is still no real professional circuit in Poland. That's precisely what we want to develop."

The World Championships, only if Poland takes a significant step forward

Janowicz does not rule out a return to play for Poland if the sporting project continues to grow.

"I am currently the number one Polish player. If we manage to build a good team, then we will send our players to the World Championships."

This statement illustrates his involvement in structuring Polish padel, more than his desire to pursue an international career.

Wimbledon and Paris-Bercy: memories that remain intact.

Even though padel now occupies an important place in his daily life, Janowicz's greatest memories remain linked to tennis.

"The semi-final of Wimbledon It remains the best moment of my career. I also have a special memory of the final of the Masters 1000 Paris-Bercy where I had beaten Andy Murray in the quarter-finals before losing against David Ferrer »

Thirteen years later, his daily life has changed considerably.

"Today, I mostly take care of my two children. Sometimes, my son asks me to show him my old matches on YouTube. That's what makes me relive those memories."

At 36, Jerzy Janowicz is now looking more towards the future of Polish padel than his own results. This change of direction is a deliberate choice for someone who now sees padel primarily as a source of enjoyment.

Maceo ZERHAT

Maceo Zerhat discovered padel in 2020 in Savigny-sur-Clairis, Burgundy. He contributed to the club's expansion by bringing his energy and curiosity. Padel Magazinehe transmits his Padel"mania" by skillfully bouncing on all the latest news about your favorite sport!