Interviewed on the occasion of Premier Padel Qatar Major, the president of the International Federation of Padel, Luigi Carraro, addresses the subject of women on the circuit and announces the 2023 objectives of the FIP.

2022, a big success

Luigi: I think last year was a very big success. If we think of France, we did the Premier Padel Paris Major. All the players talk about this tournament as the event that gave them the most emotions.

To further democratize the discipline in the world

Luigi: One of the objectives of our circuit is to hold tournaments that help the development of the padel in the countries. In the United States we have senior world championships which were a huge success. And I think very soon with Premier Padel we will go to the United States. We want to continue the work we have started, make a circuit that is as professional as possible and above all work so that the padel is a sport that is played in all countries of the world. We have a duty to organize it in the best way so that one day it will be practiced everywhere.

“In Doha, it was impossible to get women to play”

Luigi : If Doha had taken place a month later, women could have played it. To organize a tournament of this magnitude, we cannot do it in two days. We lost a year, I respected the choice of women. Now we focus on the present.

A future with women on the circuit

Alejandra-Salazar Paola-Josemaria PremierPadel

Luigi: We said it from the first minute. We want an association of important players. We want to do things for the long term, so to do things well, I think women, just like men, have to have a strong association. So they have this IPPA and we are speaking with this association.

“From the next tournament the women will be with us”

Luigi: For us, having women is essential, and it's also a dream. We can't do the next tournaments without them. What we want to do is turn dreams into reality. I am quite confident and from the next tournament, the women will be with us. Women at Roland-Garros will be the greatest gift for the French public. I think when they play in this stadium they will give us unique emotions in the world. 

Find the interview in its entirety just below:

Vincent Gallie

A fan of oval football, round ball but also racket sports, he was stung by the padel during his adolescence in Galicia. As comfortable in front of the camera as behind a microphone, Vince will be able to bring his vision and expertise as a fan of the little yellow ball.

On the same subject

Tags