The Paris Major 2025: from carpet to clay?

What if some padel tournaments were played on clay rather than on the traditional carpet, often blue? This idea took shape during theArgentina Padel Tour, organized by the controversial Lisandro Borges. A central clay court hosted professional players, including Leo Augsburg, a faithful ally of Borges, and Ignatius Sager (aka Nachi), finalist of the FIP Final Grand Bourg in France.

Visually, the result is convincing. The players find sensations close to those of the old sand tracks, more slippery than those of today. But what is most striking is that the players finish their matches literally covered in orange. The clay, more present than in tennis, marks not only the balls, which have become yellow-orange, but also the athletes' clothes. For clay fans, the nostalgic effect is guaranteed.

The pitch in question was installed on an existing clay base, which made the transition easier. This raises an intriguing question: why not consider such a surface for the Paris Major, which currently relies on a classic carpet installed on top of a clay surface? This change could allow it to stand out from other padel competitions while offering a new visual and sporting experience.

The orange color, symbol of summer, would bring a breath of fresh air and diversity. It would mark a break with current standards and could appeal to a new audience. Moreover, Paquito Navarro recently pointed out that the evolution of padel may involve a transition to other surfaces.

For now, this concept remains a gamble. But the Argentinian experience shows that players, like spectators, seem seduced by this immersion in the world of clay. A path to explore for the next major events?

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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