After some time away from the padel courts, it is with great joy that Norman Sanchez returns to the management of 20×10. The one who was flirting with the Top 20 not long ago is determined to return to his best level. Always so friendly, the Frenchman lent himself to the question and answer game at the microphone of Padel Magazine.

“Return to the French Top 20”

Padel Magazine : Can you introduce yourself for the readers who don’t know you. When did you start padel, what is your current ranking and what was your best ranking?

Norman Sanchez: "I am currently 95th French, and I was at best 19th. I started padel in 2016. "

PM: Unless I'm mistaken, you stopped playing padel for a while. Can you tell us more about it?

NS: “Yes I have no problem talking about it. I went through a rather complicated separation with children in the middle in March 2022. The fact that I was registered with the All in Padel Lyon in team matches, it kicked my ass to resume my training little by little at the end of 2022 and be able to help the Team. It paid off because we won and at the same time, I took great pleasure in meeting the competition and friends at this magnificent event."

PM: Did the stoppage of your former partner Benjamin Joulot influence your decision?

NS: “Benjamin made the decision to stop at the end of 2021 before my separation, it was official in January 2022 duringan interview Padel May. After five years of being in tournaments every two weekends, he needed to enjoy his youth in another area than padel, maybe knitting or cooking (laughs). And also, financially it's true that it has a cost, so he plans trips with his sweetheart.

PM: Does your current super level of play motivate you to do everything to get back into the top 20 in France?

NS: “Yes totally, the level of play that I was able to have during the team matches (helped by the fact of having been alongside Benjamin Tison during the competition) boosted me. I feel in great shape and ready to do everything to get back into the French top 20. Not an easy challenge given the number of very good players on the circuit."

“A little disappointed because I was at the gates of the internship with Team France”

PM: Do you have Team France in the back of your mind?

NS: “Team France is a disappointment for me because I was close to the selections to participate in the training courses. But I'm afraid it will be complicated because there are the old ones who are still at the level, and above all there are plenty of young players who are progressing day by day and who are professionalizing by leaving for Spain for the most part.

I know I don't look 37 (laughs), but age doesn't play too much in my favour.

“A player who surprised me with his talent”

PM: Let's talk a bit about your partner Nicolas Rouanet, he's young, what does that bring you? Is this a long term project?

NS: “I heard about Nico during a stay on Reunion Island. There was Jean-Thomas Peyrou there and he jumped on me, we know the news (laughs). He told me: “I have a player for you, I discussed it with Johan Bergeron, he started padel a year ago, he is young, he has talent, you can’t refuse”. Trusting JT and Johan, I said yes during the day and we called Nico right away. I saw him during the P2000 in Bordeaux and the guy finished 3rd in his first P2000 (Editor's note: with Jean Dumartin). We did our first tournament together during the P1000 in Bourg-lès-Valence, having had a very good tournament. we lose in the final in three sets after 2h30 of match.

He is a player who surprised me with his talent and his speed of adaptation to padel: he goes forward quickly, and has a very nice touch on the ball. We don't know what can happen, but in any case we are launching into 2023 together.

PM: What are your objectives for this 2023 season? Your next tournament?

NS: “I want to re-enter the French top 20, reach the last four of the P2000s, have victories over the P1000s and participate in several other international tournaments. After the Bordeaux FIP and the Esprit P1000 Padel, there will be the P1000 of Béziers before going on with the P2000 of Perpignan but that I will play with Nathan Courrin because Nicolas Rouanet has a good chance of being unavailable."

PM: Finally, can you tell us more about your training? How many times do you train per week and what is your typical training?

NS: “During the week I have two group lessons, two individual lessons, and besides that when work allows me I go to the gym to do physical training sessions. I am lucky to have a physiotherapist provided by ALL IN PADEL.”

Sebastien Carrasco

Future naturopath and padel enthusiast, Seb is the health/food man of Padel Magazine. He juggles between pala, quinoa and essential oils. For almost two years now he has been dealing with the news of the little yellow ball with the same passion.

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