Nicolas Trancart, one of the veterans of French padel, player of Toulouse Padel Club and currently 38th in the national rankings, looks back on his career and shares some anecdotes on the occasion of the fourteenth stage of the Cupra Padel Tour au Padel Tolosa-Rodez.
This is your second participation this year in the Cupra Padel Tour. How do you perceive this event?
Absolutely! I think it's a great event for fans. Every time, you can see that the participants are delighted, and we, the players, enjoy coming to play and host the event. It's a moment of sharing that brings a lot of people together, and so far, I would say that the Cupra Padel Tour perfectly succeeds in its mission.
We know that you often play with amateurs. What advice would you give to those who are starting out?
Two essential tips: first, to have fun. We must not forget that padel is above all a game! Then, it is important tobe patient. As a coach, I often see people get excited as soon as they touch the ball, but padel is a sport where patience and strategy are paramount. By better understanding the philosophy of the game, beginners will be able to gradually improve their performance.
Let's talk about your personal ambitions. Is aiming for the French team still part of your goals?
No, today, my ambitions are not as high as before. A few years ago, when I was French number 5 and close to a selection, I had invested a lot of time and effort, especially by training in Madrid. But today, I train much less and participate in fewer tournaments. The competition is also tougher, with many players who live from padel in Spain. It is no longer realistic for me to aim for the French team.
Your profile is sometimes “underestimated”. Can you tell us more?
Chingotto is indeed my role model. We have a similar profile, a little underestimated, because we are neither very tall nor very powerful. Despite everything, we are still good defenders. But padel is evolving in a faster and more aggressive direction, which makes this style of play more difficult today. An anecdote about Chingotto: one day in Madrid, he was training with me without hitting powerful balls, and in four minutes, I lost all the points in the diagonal. He is truly from another world.
We recently saw the return of Team Kong with Loïc Le Panse at the P2000 in Casa Padel. Is this something you want to pursue?
I will reduce the number of tournaments to focus more on my personal and professional ambitions. That said, playing with Loïc, who I consider a close friend, remains a great pleasure. Our goals are less focused on pure performance now; the idea is to have fun together, on and off the field. We will still do a few tournaments together, but without pressure.
How do you see the evolution of padel in France?
I prefer to talk about improvement points rather than negatives. The French Tennis Federation is working hard to structure the practice of padel with the creation of positions and more detailed specifications. This is a positive step forward, and the number of practitioners and licensees is increasing. However, the financial conditions for players remain difficult. Padel is an expensive sport, and without sponsors, many players reduce their activity. It is also necessary to further structure the practice for young people and women, as this will promote a better level internationally.
Finally, do you have an anecdote about Nada Majdoubi, your partner today in this tournament?
Yes! Nada has a little tradition after each tournament. On Sunday evening, she orders a McDonald's and eats it quietly at home, next to her cat Litchi, in front of a Netflix series.
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.