Only at 15 years, Paula Ferran, 169th in the world, already embodies a solid hope for international padel. Coached by Pablo Loza Pinillos and supported by Agustín Gómez Silingo – nicknamed (not without irony) “The Beast” – the young Spanish woman won her first title on the FIP circuit en last april visit us at the FIP Bronze of Setúbal. A performance which confirms his precocity, already seen two weeks earlier during the FIP Silver of Bandol, where she reached the round of 16 with the Portuguese Clarinha Santos.

Bandol: a frustrating but encouraging match

Interviewed in Bandol, Ferran looks back on her match against Sandra Bellver et Laia Bonilla :
"The match was complicated, but very close. We had opportunities, but we weren't able to convert them. At this level, against experienced players like Sandra and Laia, the slightest mistake costs dearly."
She adds lucidly:
"They have more experience. It's not the same being 15 and facing girls who have been playing for years."

Paula Ferrán, the 15-year-old Spanish nugget arrives in Bandol

Living between padel, studies… and adolescence

Despite her young age, Paula leads an adult life:
"It's difficult because I'm still 15. I have to continue my studies, and I train a lot. During the week, I do both: I work at school and I train, and on the weekends I go out to play tournaments."
She says she juggles morning and afternoon workouts, always keeping up with her school schedule. And when her friends talk about a more “normal” life?
“They say to me, ‘You’re always traveling, how do you manage everything?’ It’s complicated, but I like it.”

A vocation born at 6 years old

Paula discovered padel very early:
“I started playing when I was 6 years old. I saw my parents playing and wanted to try it. They signed me up for training… and I never stopped.”
Unlike many young players who come from tennis, she has always remained faithful to a single discipline:
“For me, it’s always been padel. Never any other sport.”

Why she plays on the right

Asked about her position in the field, she explains:
"I've always played on the right. I'm smaller, so that side suits me better. I never wondered if I should change."
A question that often comes up in the debate around the size in padel, and on which she has her own vision:
"I don't think you necessarily have to be tall to succeed. Every player has their own qualities. Some are faster, others more powerful... I don't think height is a hindrance."

Strengths, weaknesses, and room for improvement

The young player has no trouble analyzing her game:
"My strong point is the right. But I still lack experience, knowing how to make better decisions in important moments. To improve, I need to play more tournaments."

She also specifies:
"It would be more difficult if I had to play on the left one day. Then, height might matter more. But on the right, I don't see it as a limitation."

Family and support

In such a demanding circuit, the presence of the family remains essential:
"For this tournament, both my parents are here. But sometimes I travel with just one of them, or even alone. It depends on the destination. I can't travel alone yet; they won't let me."

Increasingly strong competition

Finally, she mentions the difficulty of breaking into an increasingly competitive circuit:
"It's very difficult to get into the top 20 these days. There are more and more female players. Sometimes, several tournaments take place on the same weekend, and points are harder to come by."

She also notes that some countries, like France, see players emerge in the top 100 after only two or three years on the circuit:
"It's impressive, but today the competition is tougher. You have to play a lot and be consistent."

Objective: the very high level

Paula does not hide her ambitions:
"I hope to reach the highest level. Maybe one day become number 1. It's not an impossible dream. But I know it takes work."

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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