For some time now, in France, we can hear here and there if it is really appropriate to try your luck in Spain to test yourself against what is done best on the padel global. French and teacher padel In Tenerife that I am, therefore wished to understand and make people react on a theme that can be divisive… Should our best French players emigrate?

Spain, cradle of padel worldwide, welcomes players from all over the world each year to learn or develop their padel and thus claim the high level. Is it positive for our players? Is this positive for the padel spanish? Is this positive for the padel in France ? Let's tackle each point.

  • Is it positive for a French player to go play and live in Spain?

Be careful, far from me to criticize this adventure and experience of these French players. The general French level has never been so high. The proof is with the ladies and gentlemen's results at the World Cup in Paraguay and some even have incredible results on the WPT circuit. It's obviously very courageous, especially when you know that you will have to work more than the others to hope to make a splash on the professional circuit. Unfortunately for our French elites, if we are not part of the top 20, life is complicated. So once again well done to the players.

Several French players have decided to go to Spain to improve their skills. padel. Scatena, Blanqué, Bergeron, Moreau, Haziza, Clergue, Collombon, Godallier, Martin, each year the list grows. Tison / Maigret does not hide his ambition to go do some tests of the World Padel Tour also. And she has already done so.

They learn things and get involved in the world of padel (Haziza in Senegal, in Sweden, Scatena with Technopadel). The general level of our French is enormous and we see it very regularly. Remember that France is starting from afar. But on the WPT field, for the moment, the results are mixed. The last two tournaments played have so far not been up to French expectations. Mentally, it's not easy. Is it really worth it for the players personally? Because yes, the France team benefits, that's for sure. But at what price for our French elites!

How much do players earn in a pre-qualifying loss? Probably not much if we add up some benefits and endowments related to sponsors. Who am I to talk like that? an average player who wants to see the padel in the hexagon. Because if these high level players stayed in France, they invested in the development of padel French, perhaps the sponsors would invest, and we would have more P2000-type tournaments like this weekend in Valenciennes with all the French gratin, more Spaniards (Bernils, Salines, De Benito) or other foreigners. So if we increase the level and the financial bait, maybe the Spanish instructors and especially the brands, will cross the border.

Strange to see that this P2000 of the FFT Padel Tour does not offer an endowment greater than €2000. This would allow the best French to invest even more on this elite circuit...

  • Is it positive for the padel Spanish to see the arrival of the French?

On the one hand, we see the professional circuit of padel, World Padel Tour be delighted to see nations like France launching into the padel for several years. France has already hosted some major competitions (Aix-en-Provence and Paris). The big winner is above all the WPT, because participating in a challenger or a stage is above all a cost for the club or the organizing country. In a way, the padel Spanish, on a purely financial level is the first big winner of the boom in padel European.

But does French intrinsically bring added value?

In Spain and Spain, that's for sure. It's almost a leak of our players to Spain.

  • Is it positive for the padel in France that the French players go into exile?

We have already answered a little in the end. At the same time, it is positive for the padel French, because the players gain experience and compete against the world. And at the same time, it's a shame that we are not able to bring our best players to France more regularly while they are in Spain.

It is certain, the tricolor players gain in notoriety and competence with coaches and players of the professional world in Spain. But to recover these players in France and enjoy their experience, sometimes you have to wait ... very / too long.

It is a speech that seems contradictory. But can not we enjoy our tops players more regularly during their exile?

Why in P1000 men we only see the pair Maigret / Tison, and in this first P2000, almost all French players? Make a choice. Or you stay in France, or you stay in Spain.

It is this message ultimately that the reader / average player / passionate of padel. Why shouldn't we have the right to have more often oppositions between these top players who made us dream all weekend beyond the P1000 / P2000 which ultimately does not bring a convincing financial endowment?

There is a balance to be found between coming to France and staying in Spain. The balance is financial. And the players want to come to France. Now the financial endowments must follow.

How can we be satisfied with 700 € to the winners for this first P2000 when already more than a year ago, during P1000, sponsors were looking to increase the winnings of the players and nobody followed them. Are they neglected?

We all know we're at a turning point padel. Many people believe in the future of the sport. Our country is full of talents, both players and coaches, trainers, investors and others. Tournaments are very often organizational successes. Let's take advantage of this. Let's attract it padel at home to make it bigger rather than letting our French elites leave their teeth in Spain sometimes.

To conclude, this is an article that will not be unanimous. But one thing is certain: It takes courage for these French players to face the elite of the padel global. So bravo to them and let's try to make our elite events more attractive to bring them to France as much as possible.

Julien Bondia

Julien Bondia is a teacher of padel in Tenerife (Spain). Columnist and advisor, he helps you play better through his tutorials and tactical/technical articles padel.

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