Padel is poised to make history at the 2026 Mediterranean Games in Taranto. From August 22nd to 28th, 88 players representing 18 countries will participate in the first-ever padel medal competition at the Games. Three events are on the program – men's, women's, and mixed – with eight French players competing: Dylan Guichard, Bastien Blanqué, Timéo Fonteny, Yoan Boronad, Charlotte Soubrié, Louise Bahurel, Lucile Pothier, and Steffi Merah. 

This time, padel will not be present for an exhibition or demonstration. In Taranto, in Puglia,  Official medals from the Mediterranean Games will be awarded for the first time in the discipline .

A further symbolic step in the international institutionalization of padel, whose integration into the official program of the XXth Mediterranean Games was jointly announced by the International Padel Federation (FIP) and the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games (ICMG) in February 2025.

88 players for a historic first

After a much broader initial registration phase, the final list announced by the FIP includes  88 athletes from 18 countries .

The competition will take place at  Parco Mediterraneo Salinella of Taranto , a newly built complex that will also host skateboard competitions and tennis training courts during the Games.

Three titles will be awarded:  men, women and mixed .

The tournaments will operate on a single-elimination format. Matches will be played best-of-three sets, with tie-breaks and the use of the  Star Point Players entered in the men's or women's draws will also be able to participate in the mixed draw, with a recovery period scheduled between their matches.

Eight French players selected

The French Tennis Federation has selected  four men and four women  to represent France.

In gentlemen:

  •  Dylan Guichard 
  •  Bastien Blanqué 
  •  Timeo Fonteny 
  •  Yoan Boronad 

In the ladies:

  •  Charlotte Soubrié 
  •  Louise Bahurel 
  •  Lucile Pothier 
  •  Steffi Merah 

The men's team will be led by  Pablo Ayma , While  Yann Auradou  will be the captain of the women's team. This is the official lineup published by the FFT for the 2026 Mediterranean Games.

A selection that blends experience and youth.

Blanqué and Guichard to frame Fonteny and Boronad

For men, France relies in particular on  Bastien Blanqué , accustomed for many years to major international competitions while wearing the French national jersey.

By his side,  Dylan Guichard  He is also among the established players in the French national team. Blanqué and Guichard were already both in the French squad for the 2025 European Championships in Cadiz.

But Taranto will also be an opportunity to see two representatives of the new generation:  Timéo Fonteny and Yoan Boronad .

The two young Frenchmen were also members of the French team at the 2025 European Championships. Their presence in Taranto confirms their gradual integration into the senior French group despite their young age.

The men's selection thus presents an interesting balance between two players who already have solid international experience with France and two of the main young talents of French padel.

A women's team that differs from recent major competitions.

The women's team is also attracting attention.

France will present itself without  Alix Collombon, Léa Godallier and Carla Touly , three players who were part of the team entered in the 2025 European Championships. These 3 players have favoured the professional circuit.

In Taranto, they are  Charlotte Soubrié, Louise Bahurel, Lucile Pothier and Steffi Merah  who will have the responsibility of representing the French national team.

Soubrié, Bahurel and Pothier already have experience with the French national team. All three were notably included in the French selection for the 2025 European Championships in Cadiz.

For  Steffi Merah His inclusion in this selection allows him to join this group for this historic event.

The draw will take place on Friday, August 21st.

Before talking about medals, the French will first know their path.

Le  The draw for the three brackets will take place on Friday, August 21st. The seedings will be determined based on the FIP ranking.

The competition will truly begin the following day.

Le  Saturday 22 August The men will open the tournament with their first round, before the women enter the competition in the afternoon.

Le  Sunday 23 August  will mark the launch of the mixed doubles draw.

One particularity that could be important for the French team: players will be able to be entered simultaneously in their main draw and in the mixed draw.

Quarter-finals Tuesday and Wednesday, semi-finals Thursday

From there, the increase in power will be gradual.

The  quarter-finals  will be spread between Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th August.

The  The semi-finals will take place on Thursday, August 27th. with a considerable stake already: reaching the last day will allow them to stay in the running for a medal since the losers of the semi-finals will still have the opportunity to compete for bronze.

Then will come Friday, August 28th.

A "Super Friday" to distribute the first medals in history

The FIP has chosen to name this final day the  "Super Friday" .

All medals will be awarded on the same day.

The morning will be devoted to  three matches for the bronze medal , in the male, female and mixed categories.

Then will come the three finals.

La  mixed doubles final  will open the race for titles, before the  female final , Then  male final , which will conclude the very first padel competition of the Mediterranean Games.

More than just a FIP tournament for the French national team

This time, the stakes go beyond points or a result on the international circuit.

The Mediterranean Games in Taranto will bring together approximately  5,000 athletes from 26 nations  in about thirty sports. The French delegation alone will count  330 athletes, including 152 women and 178 men representing 27 federations. France will be involved in 26 of the 30 sports in the program.

And padel is one of the major new features of this 20th edition, alongside swimming with fins.

For  Blanqué, Guichard, Fonteny, Boronad, Soubrié, Bahurel, Pothier and Merah The occasion is therefore special.

A victory in Taranto will not simply add another line to a list of achievements: it will allow one to enter history as  first male or female padel champion of the Mediterranean Games .

The first verdict will come as early as Friday with the draw. Then, a week will be enough to write the first page of the Mediterranean padel record books.

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.

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