How many of us are convinced that Padel was born at the dawn of the 2010s, at a time when the sport was experiencing some very slight tremors. What if I told you that in France, the story begins 20 years ago. That at the end of the 80s, a federation was created for the practice of padel. So, don't blame me, I will resume the writing of yesteryear. So, I said, a French Paddle Federation (FFP).

Few people know it, but this federation did indeed exist. Of course, today, padel has been integrated by the French Tennis Federation (FFT) but in the last century, it was a very independent sport. Dive into the history of paddleboarding with me.

The arrival of padel, end of the 80s

Well, I'm going to insult you, but I'm going to tell you again: padel was born in Mexico, at the beginning of the 70s. The initiator of this sport is Enrique Corcuera. Not having enough space around his house for a tennis court, he built this strange court. Smaller dimensions, walls all around. A funny creature.

The history of padel: do you know everything?

And then there is strange racket. A bit of a mix period wooden tennis racket and frying pan dotted with holes. Padel had surprised, we can't say otherwise. Even today, the few people who don't know this sport find this racket… special.

FIRST PADEL COURT

In 1974,, it's the prince Alfonso de Hohenlohe who exported this sport to Marbella, Spain. And padel only arrived in France a few years later. It was no surprise that the first club was created on the Spanish border. The very first padel center in France was created in 1992 in the city of Perpignan. (NB: In reality, the first padel club would be that of Saint-Jean de Luz 1985 at Trinquet Anderenia)

Before 92, there was a man, Claude Baigts. He initiated the creation of the very first French Paddle Federation (FFP), in November 1989. He was one of the first to believe in this sport. And obviously he wasn't wrong.

The development of the times

Padel does not have the success it can have today. But Claude Baigts and the entire FFP team do not lose hope. On the contrary, the slightest media coverage is the subject of a first step forward. TF1, France Info, RMC Sports, everyone is starting “slightly” to speak about this emerging, slightly strange sport, straight from our Iberian neighbors…

PADEL PLAYER ARCHIVES

Even France 3 National talks about it, during an event which is still talked about today... The famous tournament of Little Aces, which is played in Tarbes, had promoted it via actions carried out by the FFP. A spotlight that could only do good for this federation.

Several FFP Departmental Centers were created in 1990: Blagnac-Toulouse, Perpignan, Castres, Arles. The following year, others joined the dance: Pau, Carcassonne, Saint-Vincent de Tyrosse and fifteen additional cities.

Sangouagnet ariege 1990

In 1990, during the Bridge of Generations, a padel court had been set up. Dorfman, the referee at Roland Garros, had to go get Yannick Noah et Stefan Edberg. Why ? Because they wanted to finish their Paddle set of course. And I understand them! The same evening, the company Snauwaert hands over the padel racket to the FFP John Mc.Enroe.

JOHN MC ENROE PADEL RACKET

Today, Claude Baigts, Pierre Lamouré and his teams organize the Intercontinental Club Cup every year. Padel within European Association of Clubs Padel.

The explosion in the 2010s

Padel has continued to grow, but in the shadows and anonymity. Few people knew about this sport. And the lands were very localized in the south of France… a bit like today in fact. You had to be a real insider or stumble upon it by chance.

Then, the Ministry of Sports will ask LThe French Tennis Federation to include padel in its statutes to form a large racquet sports house. In 2014,, there no longer exists a French paddle federation, nor a National Paddle League. Padel. Although the sport continues to persist and expand. In 2018, the first elected official in charge of FFT padel, Hubert Picquier, will launch the first major works around padel.

padel world 2010

LPadel has exploded since COVID-19 in France as elsewhere. An outdoor sport, like tennis, it conquers hearts and players. Since then, the power of padel has done its job. And padel is becoming more and more popular, regardless of age group.

I am not a fortune teller, I cannot tell you what will happen to padel tomorrow. But I am convinced that good days await our beautiful sport. In any case, that's all we can wish for him... See you soon, on the slopes!

Gwenaelle Souyri

It was her brother who one day told her to accompany him to a padel court, since then, Gwenaëlle has never left the court. Except when it comes to going to watch the retransmission of Padel Magazine, World Padel Tour… or Premier Padel…or the French Championships. In short, she is a fan of this sport.

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