[box type = "info"]Padel Magazine - Raul Arias, former pro player has become one, the president of the association of professional players of padel. He takes stock of his first year and gives us his vision on his management of the World Padel Tour. [/ box]

Padel Magazine : This is your first year at the head of the association of professional players of padel. Can you give us an overview of 2013?

Raul Arias: We are very satisfied with our work. We had a show this year with our tournaments World Padel Tour. Big matches, very spectacular which make that the padel can only develop with these strengths.

Look at this audience that we had, very active, very knowledgeable and passionate about this padel. With this general atmosphere, we can only be satisfied with this year.

There is also a lot of quality in the players, just see what we have at the Masters but not only. There are young people coming in and playing very well.

People who love this sport are always more numerous and come from all social categories.

So we can say that globally, it is very positive.

Padel Magazine : After such a positive year, I imagine that the objectives have been revised upwards?

Raul Arias: The world Padel Tour must absolutely internationalize more, even if it has already done a lot of work. Today, the main tournaments are played in Spain, but we are doing everything we can to ensure that there are stages elsewhere than in Spain such as in Portugal and Argentina which have been very successful. This therefore encourages us to continue on this path.

Padel Magazine : And then France ... We too will have a stage of World Padel Tour in no time ?

Raul Arias: First of all, the priority is to strengthen our position in Spain and to have a Padel confident. But it is obviously very important that the padel sort of Spain, to European countries and the world more generally. With this 2014 there could be new steps. We try to develop the padel with this type of event. It's positive for the world. But it would be very interesting if we could stop off in France. There are plenty of things to do.

Padel Magazine : I would like us to stay a little more in France. What can be done to help the padel French to develop?

Raul Arias: I think we have to go step by step, gradually by developing the activity in France so that people discover this sport a little more. France will develop through good communication and your newspaper is proof that the padel expands. People see through you that the padel is a beautiful machine with this spectacular game. People will be more motivated to build land or open clubs for padel.

Padel Magazine : We are a country where there are a lot of racket players, can't you help directly in France via a specific office?

Raul Arias: I think that indeed, France has a great tennis tradition, with a powerful tennis federation, there is around this sport a significant potential for the padel. Tennis players and other racket sports will be passionate about padel. I understand that the number of tennis players for example in France is at least as important as in Spain and I believe even more. A strong federation could show this way. But things are being done little by little, for example in Nice.

Padel Magazine ; We have nice clubs like Nice, Toulouse, Aix or even the one in Perpignan, there is also a new indoor club in Laval which opened its doors not long ago, the padel is underway ... But some outside help is perhaps necessary so that the padel really take?

Raul Arias: Yes the padel is developing in France little by little with these clubs of padel growing, let's hope that 2014 will be a fruitful year for the padel French. We will see that.

Padel Magazine : We also have a new club of padel near Monaco, in Beausoleil more precisely, which you may know?  

Raul Arias: No, I don't know, I am in contact with people in Monaco and we are trying to develop things. But as we say good luck to this new club and the padel French.

Padel Magazine : What is missing in padel to forcefully outsource?

Raul Arias: I believe there is a lack of communication in the countries to allow this sport to develop subsequently. The padel is not yet known today. As they say things are done little by little. For example, Germany and Switzerland are now building many padel. Germany thanks to this is developing strongly. And with this kind of development, there will be an impact on all European countries. I really believe that the padel will develop strongly. And then there is Munich in a short time.

Padel Magazine : What are your relations with the international federation of padel ?

Raul Arias: It's going very well. There is a very good relationship between us. They also promote the padel. We often talk about developing countries and try to support those countries. The FIP has a slightly different objective from ours because it has a very close eye on the development of the padel in other European countries.

Padel Magazine : And with France? What are the relationships?

Raul Arias: We don't have much of a relationship with France, of course we hope that this will develop and that there will be a better relationship with the authorities of padel French, but for the moment, there is not much.

Padel Magazine : Finally, do you have a message to send to padel French?

Raul Arias: Develop it padel, build lands, open clubs of padel, and I hope we can do a good job together with this great sport and see French players coming onto the circuit.

Franck Binisti - Padel Magazine
Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovers the padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since padel is part of his life. You often see him touring France going to cover the major events of padel French.

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