Oscar Solé is probably the person who knows the most about the professional circuits of padel. Padel Magazine meets the communications director of theAPT Padel Tour, on the magnificent central court of the Fonck barracks in Liège.

The Birth of padel professional

Lorenzo Lecci López: Can you introduce yourself and tell us how you got into the world of padel ?

Oscar Solé: “I entered the padel by surprise. I am a Uruguayan journalist. Since 2001, I have lived in Malaga. I first arrived in Galicia, then I moved south. I met Enrique Alegre, who was in the world of padel. This is where the first private professional circuit was born, the Padel Per tour, from 2006. Some joined us, others stayed on the federation circuit. Then it was from 2006 to 2011 that the following movement began. ”

padelpro tour 2012 gijon

WPT leaves a bitter taste

Lorenzo Lecci López: How was this movement born in 2011?

Oscar Solé: "THE'association of players from padel starts to matter a little more. She came into contact with private companies, and in 2012 the change happened. The World Padel Tour start, and I am part of the adventure from the start on the communication part. In 2013, streaming takes place on the second stage of the WPT. There were no comments, it was just the picture. So I proposed to put a voice on the image. Some crazy ideas emerged, the “Puntaco” became famous. The companies started betting on the WPT, and my stage is like this until 2016. It was 3 very good years trying to show the padel in the eyes of the world. ”

Lorenzo Lecci López: In 2016, a new change for you. You embark on the adventure of Fabrice Pastor.

Oscar Solé: "Yes indeed. I was very surprised when the entire communication department of the World Padel Tour has been licensee. After just 24 hours, this person I had the pleasure of meeting told me that she was a fan of my comments. He explains to me that I am going to work with him in a new adventure… ”

Lorenzo Lecci López: Did this dismissal leave you with a bitter taste after giving so much from the start for the WPT?

Oscar Solé: “With the experience I had, having to leave my country and my family, these are the real disappointments. For economic reasons, having to leave one's roots to arrive in the unknown and try to create a new family. This is something really difficult. What happened with the World Padel Tour is just part of a job. 

The bitter feeling comes from the fact that there was no reason for the dismissal. That we come to tell you that theSouth American accent didn't do it too much… These things hurt. What hurt me the most was afterwards, when colleagues, some of whom I considered to be friends, avoided me so as not to have a problem. ”

Lorenzo Lecci López: Why did the WPT make this decision?

Oscar Solé: “These are business decisions. What hurt me the most was being told that they were looking for professionals. Having a long career of many years in journalism, telling me that seems to be a lack of respect. Beyond that I thank them for allowing me to do what I wanted, and it allowed me to climb a step by working with Fabrice Pastor. This man opened the doors of his house to me. The relationship has been excellent since the first second, and I embarked on its follies. He is passionate about it.

So we start with the Fabrice Pastor Cup, which was a South American circuit that spread to Europe, to give birth to the project of the'International Padel Tour. We did not have the support of all the players, and certain changes in the jackets of the players forced Fabrice to put an end to all this. ”

APT Padel Tower, synonymous with freedom

Lorenzo Lecci López: And in a few months, a new circuit appears!

Oscar Solé: "Fabrice Pastor does not know how to be quiet. We had a new opportunity in Latin America, and especially in Mexico, to do tournaments. This is where the Continental American Federation was born, and with it the opportunity to tour all of America. In 2020, we begin this story, until the arrival of the famous pandemic. We make agreements with the FEPA to bring the circuit to Europe, arriving until today. We are achieving our goals little by little, to bring the padel to more and more countries. ”

apt padel central cork track tour

Lorenzo Lecci López: Today we have players who play the APT, others who play the WPT. Do you think the history of 2011 can repeat itself, and that the best players are joining the APT?

Oscar Solé: “I think there is a place for everyone in the padel. It is a very young sport. Our circuit is a circuit more overall and more international. We don't want to limit the players so much. We want to give them the freedom to choose tournaments that they want to play. We also want to help the player to professionalize. A lot of players surprised us here in Liège. The future phenomenon of padel may be from Chile, Venezuela or Afghanistan. ”

Lorenzo Lecci López: The WPT keeps its best players with exclusive contracts. Will the APT do these kinds of things?

Oscar Solé: “No, our intention is no locking up the players. We want them to come and play because they feel comfortable. Those who want to be professional should still play 75% of the tournaments. Our business model consists of allowing, for example, a German entrepreneur to call us to tell us that he wants a tournament. This gentleman pays and will have his week in the calendar. This tournament is his, not Monte Carlo International Sports. The goal is to have 20 tournaments, and if tomorrow a new entrepreneur offers one of them more money, he can sell it. Monte Carlo creates the product, so that from there several entrepreneurs carry it. We don't want the monopoly, because it is already being done elsewhere and we know that it will be of short time. "

Lorenzo Lecci López: In 2023, the WPT contracts end. APT Padel Tour shows excellent organization. Do you have this date in mind?

Oscar Solé: “Our goal is to make it grow padel. Of course, this date will release the best players, but this is not an obsession for us that this contract ends. What I know from experience is that the players did not trust the International Padel Tour because they had not seen the product. Now they can see it, and we'll work for the players. This project is made for gamers. I can assure you that Monte Carlo and Fabrice are not making a profit on this at the moment. We hope that in 2023, the APT be consolidated to be an additional option for players. We will not close any doors. We have players who have played and who are under contract with the other circuit, but these players need money to feed themselves… For example Miguel Oliveira or Fede Quiles. ”

A launch in the midst of a pandemic

Lorenzo Lecci López: It's daring to launch an international circuit in the midst of a global pandemic. How do you adapt?

Oscar Solé: "It's difficult. This circuit wants to open the doors to all players, and all these players are not in the same place. Having to travel from several different places makes things more difficult. We have to adapt and we are trying to restructure the schedule accordingly. ”

“This was one of Fabrice Pastor's first messages to the team: organize the circuit despite the conditions.”

Lorenzo Lecci López: It's been a little over a year now since the circuit was launched. What are the areas for improvement?

Oscar Solé: “We try to improve ourselves every day. When we embarked on this adventure with Fabrice, we wanted to do an exclusively American circuit. After the first two tournaments in Merida and Acapulco, this virus changed all of our plans. It also allowed us to work to expand this circuit. Thanks to the support of FEPA, we were able to launch into Europe. This tournament is proof that there is a very good level among these players that few people knew. We want to open our doors to those players who have no place to express themselves. ” 

Lorenzo Lecci López: Today we are in Belgium. What are the next steps for the APT?

Oscar Solé: “The next two tournaments are scheduled in America. One in Argentina, and one in Mexico, but we are waiting to see how the situation develops. We are trying to get the necessary permissions: unfortunately it will again be without an audience. We will normally be announcing two tournaments in Argentina shortly. ”

Lorenzo Lecci López: Streaming broadcasts are currently commented in Spanish and English. When will there be comments in French?

Oscar Solé: “This is not expected in the short term, but I want to thank Padel Magazine who does a job to give visibility to our circuit, thank Franck Binisti, whom I have known for many years. I know what the development of padel, and you must feel a fundamental part of that development. ”

"But I hope it can grow, and that we can do a lot of broadcasts in a lot of different languages."  

From his names, we can guess his Spanish and Italian origins. Lorenzo is a multilingual passionate about sports: journalism by vocation and events by worship are his two legs. He is the international gentleman of Padel Magazine. You will often see it on the various international competitions, but also on the major French events. @eyeofpadel on Instagram to see his best photos of padel !