They had to go and get it. Facing former French number ones Adrien Maigret and Benjamin Tison,  Nathan Courrin and Thomas Seux  delivered a solid performance at Top P2000 Padel Toulouse winning in two sets  7 / 6 6 / 2 A victory that propels them into the quarter-finals, at the end of a match that started poorly.

 A difficult start… before the turning point 

Having fallen behind early and far from their usual level, both players acknowledge a difficult start.

"We were going there a bit as tourists at first. We weren't both well," explains Thomas Seux, who is physically weakened: "I'm still sick, I have a fever..."

Despite this context, something gradually shifts.

"It allowed me to be very calm, which I'm not usually like. I made very simple choices... and it worked."

An unexpected clarity of thought that will change the dynamics of the match.

 The turning point at 3-0: “That's where it begins” 

The same observation applies to Nathan Courrin. The real turning point came after a one-sided start:

“We started badly, 3-0… against players like Ben (Tison) and Adri (Maigret), it’s tough. And then we said to ourselves: ‘That’s it, it’s starting.’”

From that moment on, the plan was clear: simplify as much as possible.

"We were tired, sick... so we played it simple. No complicated tactics, just common sense."

A deliberate strategy that proved effective:

"We thought it through carefully, chose the right moments to accelerate. And above all, we talked to each other the whole time."

 A controlled match after the first set 

After winning a tie-break through sheer willpower, Courrin/Seux definitively took control in the second set. More composed and clear-headed, they also benefited from better timing in key moments.

Courrin insists:

"I managed to hit the ball well at the right time, that helped me. We also knew that in those conditions, I could be dangerous with my smash."

Facing them, Maigret / Tison did not find a solution to reverse the trend.

 The controversy over the yellow rackets 

The match was also marked by a more unusual element: the visual discomfort clearly caused by Adrien Maigret's yellow racket.

Thomas Seux explains:

"Frankly, the yellow rackets can be a hindrance. When the game is fast, you're a little bit behind."

A problem that has been encountered before:

"I'd already had this problem in the past (with Joel Olivera). There, with the black and yellow contrast, on the cross-returns, I was often late."

A question that, according to him, might deserve to be studied:

"Is it a real visual discomfort or just something you need to get used to? Perhaps we'll have to look into that."

 A quarter-final between training partners 

Having qualified for the semi-finals, Courrin and Seux will meet a pair they know perfectly (Yoan Boronad / Timéo Fonteny).

"We train together every day. They have been very strong since January, very physical," Courrin analyzes.

In a context of fatigue, the key remains simple:

"We'll have to play the same game again: keep it simple, stay calm. If we get frustrated, it's going to be difficult."

Next match around 19pm against the tournament favorites: Fonteny / Boronad.

Franck Binisti

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.

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