On the sidelines of the great My Padel Tour by Babolat two weeks ago at the Parisian club of Casa Padel, the Belgian Philippe Werts and the French Laurent Imbert replayed for the first time together in an official match since… 1997. A great reunion, certainly…

Until then, ok you say, it's not that crazy ... read carefully more ...

This is an incredible story and maybe even unique in the sport.

Philippe Werts, currently the organizer World Padel Tour Brussels, tells us:

In 1997, it is the European Championship of padel which takes place in Barcelona. France and Belgium participate in this competition.

Laurent Imbert is part of the French team and I of the Belgian team.

However, the events will make that we will play together for Belgium in official match against Spain. Laurent Imbert is the only French player to have played for 2 national teams in the same competition!

Impossible ? Let Philippe continue:

Belgium had to play in the semifinal against Spain. The meeting took place in the tennis stadium where the Olympic Tennis Games were held in Barcelona.

The morning was scheduled training and when we arrived at the club, there were 3 or 4 cars-tv from the Spanish TVE TVE who were present ... For us!

We never expected our games to be broadcast.

In the afternoon, when going to play the three games, one of our players (Belgian), is locked in his hotel room ... And impossible to persuade him to come and play his game.

Given the presence of the TV, it was necessary to quickly find a solution ... And this is how Laurent Imbert obtained the single and only selection of a French player in the Belgian national team.

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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