Mélissa Martin, heal her wounds to come back stronger

Melissa Martin, one of the best French, player of World Padel Tour, reconsiders his non-selection in this French team which will participate in the 2020 World Cup in Qatar.

Open, resolute and courageous, she talks to us about her sporting disappointments, but also about her future in the padel.

As we have seen, many fans comment on your non-selection for the French team ...

I actually hear a lot of comments and a lot of people asking me questions. This is also why I wanted to speak today.

What happened is very simple. I have not recovered from my Covid which I had at the end of August.

I forced myself to play in a very bad condition the last 2 competitions of the year in France including the French championships. But it was impossible for me to be a minimum competitive with so many breathing problems, fatigue and pain.

Following this complicated episode, Robin Haziza, the coach of the France ladies team, simply felt that I was not in sufficient shape on the day of his decision. He didn't want to take the risk to see if I could recover for the worlds.

It's true that his decision hurt me. Bad, because when you taste the France team, you necessarily want to stay there. These are exceptional adventures and we want to give the maximum to allow France to be well positioned. Bad, because I think I have the level to continue my adventure in this team.

But at the same time, you have to be lucid, I'm not 100% physically, while other girls are. Robin has other options. And I think he made the right decision.

We have sometimes read a few comments about your supposed “fragility”

Haha! This word “fragility” follows me a little too unfortunately and honestly I can't stand it.

I don't like him because I think my weaknesses have made me stronger in a lot of ways. And it is very frustrating to go through what can happen without being in control.

Unfortunately I started on padel with certain weaknesses. Doctor and physiotherapist told me to stop this sport because I had a cervical sprain which caused me a lot of pain. But I overcame them.

As a result of cel, I had jaw problems, which I also overcame. And yes last year I spent a season recovering from the Covid. And finally, the end of the year was also complicated in terms of health. So yes, I had and am having problems, like everyone else, after all. Athletes all play with pain.

For me, these worries are obstacles to my development, because I still have so much to give in this sport.

The good news: the weaknesses are always temporary, I do my best to fight them as much as possible. And yes, I have the goal of being 100% one day!

So far my results haven't been amazing. But I am struggling to come back even stronger, hopefully with results and the resumption of my training in Spain.

A French team with many new players ...

I think we have a great team from France. Girls with different characters and games but who I am sure will be able to show what the padel French.

I am really very happy for the news that leaves for this adventure and the one that already forms the core. They all deserve it.

We can clearly see a good progression of the padel female since the last World Cup in Paraguay. There is more competition and therefore more players who can claim for Team France. Winning your place is more difficult than before.

The group can benefit from the experience and level of play of Alix Collombon and Léa Godallier. They are both having an amazing season. It is inevitably a huge strength for a team.

2022, a new player?

I do everything to come back even stronger. After these difficult two years, I understood and accepted that I couldn't really continue playing this way. When you are a sportswoman and you cannot climb a staircase for 2 months, there is a problem.

The Covid will soon be a nasty memory. This end of the year is for me convalescence, physical and respiratory rehabilitation to rebuild myself before the 2022 season with a superb team around me.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovers the padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since padel is part of his life. You often see him touring France going to cover the major events of padel French.