Padel, although young in France, is largely dominated at the international level by Spanish and Argentinian players. This regularly leads French players to team up with Spaniards during major French tournaments, hoping that their experience and talent will be assets to go far. But is this a guarantee of success?

Examples of success

Some Franco-Spanish associations have borne fruit. During the FIP Bronze Mondeville, Maxime Forcin, accompanied by the Spaniard Adria Mercadal (138th in the world), reached the semi-finals, a good result for this international tournament.
Similarly, at the end of 2024, during the P2000 Casa Padel, Boris Castro et Philemon Raichman also reached the semi-finals, proving that a good complementarity between a Frenchman and a foreign player can bear fruit. Note that Raichman played on the right side of the court, which is not his preferred position.

But notable counterexamples

However, playing with a Spaniard does not always guarantee success.

  • When for his P2000 Impact Stadium La Rochelle, Dorian DeMeyer and the Spanish Victor Mena (70th in the world) were seeded 4. Despite their status, they were eliminated in the round of XNUMX by Mathis Dupont-Brimbeuf et Yann Auradou in a close match (6/4 6/7 7/5). Victor Mena, despite his international ranking, missed his match.
  • Still in La Rochelle, Benjamin Crane and the Argentinian naturalized Italian Juan Manuel Restivo (former 107th in the world), seeded 5, also fell in their first match against Thomas Seux et Nathan Courrin.

An even more significant example is that of Cyril Hanouna, who regularly participates in tournaments in France accompanied by high-level Spanish players such as Miguel Semmler, Boris Castro ou Theodor Zapata (35th in the world). Despite these prestigious partnerships, it is rare for the host to go beyond the first rounds, showing that the complementarity and the overall level of the team remain essential.

What you must remember

Although Spanish players are often seen as references in the world of padel thanks to their international dominance and great experience, this does not guarantee success. Several factors influence performance:

  • The complementarity of the team : Good understanding on the field and fluid communication are essential. Problem: what to do when the two players do not speak the same language?
  • Homogeneity of levels : If the two players are not of a relatively close level, it becomes difficult to compete with better balanced teams.
  • Strategy and preparation : Individual talent, even of a well-ranked Spanish player, does not compensate for the huge differences against good balanced pairs.
  • Adaptation to the French game : The terrain or the local style of play can destabilize some Spaniards accustomed to other conditions.

Teaming up with a Spaniard in a padel tournament in France can offer certain advantages, particularly in terms of experience and technical play. But this does not guarantee victory. It is not nationality that makes the difference, but the quality of the team as a whole. Playing with a Spaniard can be an asset, but to win, you need much more: real alchemy on the court and an adapted strategy.

Benjamin Dupouy

I discovered padel directly during a tournament, and frankly, I didn't really like it at first. But the second time, it was love at first sight, and since then, I haven't missed a single match. I'm even ready to stay up until 3am to watch a final of Premier Padel !

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