Engaged in the qualifications of the  FIP Silver Côte du Midi  au  Silk Sets Padel   Narbonne ,  Joseph Manuel Ortiz , better known by the nickname of  Josema , looks back on his career, his transition after the disappearance of the circuit  A1Padel , and its ambitions on the  FIP Tour At 20 years old, the Spaniard from Extremadura embodies the trajectory of many young players who are looking to make a place for themselves at the highest level.

Beginnings between football and padel

It all started in his village of  Villafranca de los Barros , in Extremadura.
“I played soccer until I was six, but one day my dad bought me a racket. He played with friends, and I went with him to his matches. I quickly told him I'd rather train padel than soccer. So he enrolled me in a small local academy.”

His father,  still a player today , was an essential support in its beginnings.
"He continues to play, and has always supported me, both in the game and in finding sponsors."

A supervised progression

Josema then continued his training at  Mérida , in a more developed structure.
“I trained with players like  paul cardona ,  Javi sanchez , and  Lorena Rufo . Cardona is a little older than me, but we spent our days together on the track.

For two years, he has joined  Seville  where he continued his university studies while joining the  Cipádes High Level Group .
"It's a very professional group. I feel like I'm part of a family. I'm making enormous progress thanks to them."

José Manuel Ortiz: "Today I am fighting to one day play on Premier Padel »

Clear areas of work

On a technical level, Josema says he is in the middle of a transformation phase.
"I work a lot there  backhand volley , the  blocks , and all those little details that make the difference. I feel like I'm playing better, that I have better sensations."

If he recognizes the  high level required  to compete with the best, he remains confident in his progress:
“I know what I’m missing, and I train every day to get closer to it.”

From the A1Padel at the FIP Tour: a change of direction

Josema played for several seasons on the  circuit A1Padel , and started at the stage of  Seville , at his home.
"What made me go there was first of all  affordability There were a lot of tournaments in Spain, so travel costs were low. When you're starting out and have little money, that's important."

He quickly managed to integrate several  final tables , which changes his vision of the competition.
“I started earning a little money, and started to think that I could really consider padel as a career.”

But with  suspension of the A1 circuit in 2025 , he had to reorganize himself.
“It’s not sadness. I love above all else.”  the competition , and on the  FIP Tour , there are a lot of tournaments. It's a different way of working, with more distant trips, but with a  clear objective: to earn points to enter one day on Premier Padel . »

A solid pair with Relis Ferreyra

Since this season, Josema has formed a pair with the Argentinian Relis Ferreyra , also a former player of the A1 circuit.
“We met at  Seville , in the same academy. Relis lived there. We started training together, then following each other on the A1. He was already playing in the main draws, I was just starting out. He helped me a lot.

The end of the A1 has strengthened their common desire to  unite on the FIP Tour .
“Today, we train together, we have the same staff, and we share the same goal:  to integrate Premier Padel Relis brings me experience and stability in the game, and I help him with my ability to create winners. I think we form a balanced pair.

A difficult economic context for young players

Josema also shares a  broader thinking  on the difficulties encountered by young Spanish players in financing their careers.
"As Juan Lebrón said recently, it's more difficult for a Spaniard than for a Frenchman, for example, to have truly solid sponsors. There are partners, but often not enough to cover all the costs."

He can count on  Nox , its main sponsor for five years.
"I have a contract that helps cover some of the costs. And other partners, whom my father and my agent help me find, to supplement. Without them, it would be very difficult to travel so much."

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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