Founding President of the French Federation of Padel From 1992 to 2003, Claude Baigts contributed to the development of padel through the organization of several competitions, including the first World Cup outside Spain and Argentina in 2000. Co-president of the AECP, he also initiated several European Cups and International Club Cups. PadelHis commitment now takes him to Tahiti, where a structuring project is taking shape with theAMERICAN EXPRESS Cup Padel TahitiHe explains the main points.

We like to compare you to a padel dinosaur….

Comparing myself to dinosaurs makes me fear the worst! Yet, I'm still a young man born in the first half of the last century, and I still have many great years of padel ahead of me!

The various roles you listed relate exclusively to padel. Over the past forty years, I've met pioneers working to develop this sport in many countries, most recently in Tahiti. This has allowed me to always be available to take on new challenges. But be aware, none of this would have been possible without the people who supported me.

Pacific Cup 2025: padel takes you to Tahiti!

How did this project come about?

It all started with a meeting. During the International Club Cup Padel 2024, a delegation from the Club Phoenix de Punaauia, Tahiti, led by its president Alain Siu, took part in the competition. His approach to padel development and his dynamism paved the way for a constructive exchange. He quickly embraced our organizational model, which allows amateurs to develop in a framework inspired by the professional circuit. From there, the idea of ​​a joint project began to take shape.

What are its objectives?

We want to mark this event over time with a vision spanning several years.

  • Register for the long term : this involves having a five-year plan and seizing every opportunity from the first edition. The foundations had to be laid in 2025 for the 2026 to 2030 editions, starting in 2025, by setting up a 32-pair bracket with qualifications the week before the entry of foreign players and players from these qualifications. The seeded players will consist of a foreign player (Spain, Portugal, Colombia, France, Haiti) and a Tahitian player.
  • Convince potential partners that Phénix and the AECP are listening to them to grow together. The meeting between the leaders of AMERICAN EXPRESS and the Phénix Club, who share this long-term vision, is already a first victory.
  • Bringing together the Tahitian padel community : bringing together local clubs and the Tahitian Tennis Federation for two evenings of discussions, an initiative led by Alain Siu, constitutes a major step forward from this first edition.
  • Create local and media dynamics : the participation of foreign players in activities with padel schools, as well as in coaching sessions before the AMERICAN EXPRESS Padel  CUP will encourage the media to take greater interest in the event and encourage the public to come out in large numbers.

How is the organization set up?

This type of event relies on the work of volunteers and the involvement of many people. We have assembled a committed team, divided between Tahiti, Lisbon, Faro, Malaga, Toulouse, Saly in Senegal and Bucharest, which is working to set up this first edition. The objective is to ensure a solid structure that will allow this competition to evolve in the years to come.

One last word ?

“Every project encounters support and questions, but the main thing is to move forward.” With AECP and the Phénix Club, we want to build something coherent and open a new perspective for padel in Tahiti. To all those who wish to take part, the adventure begins now.

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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