One of the interesting topics to understand: the ranking of World Padel Tour. How to earn points and how to change your ranking over the years. Here are questions that Jérémy Scatena, best French player ranked WPT, was happy to answer us.

Padel Magazine " Hello Jeremy. How does the WPT ranking work? "

Jérémy Scatena: "The WPT ranking works like tennis with ATP. It's based on a year. So after a year of tournaments, you have a base on which WPT will rely. Subsequently, each year, to date, you will lose the points of the tournament played in the year -1, and then add the points you will achieve during this tournament.

Example: the 15 April 2018 I had won 10 points at a tournament. In April 2019, these 10 points are deleted and replaced by the 50 points of the tournament that I just realized. "

PM: "That is, the ranking changes by date and not by tournament? "

JS: "Exactly. Hence certain variations and fluctuations according to the periods. We can quickly lose places on dates when there are no tournaments. This way of calculating obliges the players to play a maximum of tournaments, on pain of losing the points of the previous year. "

PM: "Is it easy to take places in the standings? "

JS: "A few years ago, it was easier to get into the top 100 than it is today. Since 2018, the density of players in the top 100 is huge. We see in pre-qualifying players with a ranking of 80.

To pass top 100, you have to win each time players of the top 100 and a tournament on 3, beat a pair ranked at least 85 to change the table and enter qualifying. It's very difficult to start a tournament right from the qualifiers. "

PM: "Difficult for the French you mean? "

JS: "It's difficult for everyone, and also for the French. Personally I get there from time to time. Tison / Maigret have managed to win a few games, Bastien Blanqué and Johan Bergeron had a little more difficulties, but we must understand that it is the world level, it is a relatively closed circuit, with 24 teams in the table final and only 4 teams that fit into this final table. So yes it's difficult and that is why in the pre-qualifying we end up with players of the top 100 world. "

PM: "So how can we get directly into the final table? "

JS: "It's a long-term job. First you play a few games the first year. Then you can be part of the 16 seed pre-qualifying, then 8 seeded pre-qualifying. Only from there, players can enter the top 100. So to enter the qualifying table you need: either in case you are not seeded, win two seeded pre-qualifiers, or you are seeded between 8 and 16 and you will have to win one seeded between 8 and 1 to qualify, either you are seeded between 8 and 1 and you will "only" win a match to enter the qualifying table. It is a hard and long way to access only the qualifications. So to go to the final table ... "

PM: " Do you know players who have climbed these ladders quickly? "

JS: "Of course, and you know them too. Lucas Bergamini, Coki Nieto, Lucas Campagnolo, Fede Chingotto and Juan Tello. We are talking about players who played very few tournaments at the world level, but who had an extraordinary level. For lower level players, in the top 40, it takes at least 2 to 3 years to get to start the tournament in the final table. "

PM: "So let's take the example of a junior player in pre-qualifying and accessing the final table, at his next tournament, where does it appear? "

JS: "He would start again in pre-qualifying, and the next tournament too. To be able to go directly to a higher table, a player must accumulate 6 wins in a row in four tournaments. This is a very difficult thing because this player should beat a lot of top 40 players, which would make him an 10 top, and a top 10 player who does not know it does not run on the streets. "

PM: ”Do you have a message for players who would like to play padel their job, like you? “

JS: "The first message I want to convey is that it is very difficult mentally for a player to start. For my part I start to be seeded in most tournaments, which makes my job easier. Set achievable goals. Do not try to be top 100 after 2 years because unless you have an extraordinary level, it will be impossible. By cons, saying, the first year, I set the 180th place, then the second year, the 140th place to become a seed, and so on, we talk about achievable goals. "

PM: "But given the level proposed by the new players, in one, two or five years the level will not be even higher? "

JS: ”Of course the level changes and every year it gets more complicated. I take myself for example: with my 200 points I end the season at the gates of 100th place. 2 years ago, with the same number of points I would have been in 80th place. We are in a period where there are more and more 100% players padel and above all more and more players of nationalities that we were not used to seeing. It's good for the padel but it is hard for the players.

It should be understood that the current top 100 players are part of the strong nations: Spain, Brazil, Argentina and Portugal. We see a few Italians but they are of Argentine origin. These nations practice the padel for decades and it will take time to dislodge them. “

PM: "Since it's so difficult to go to tournaments abroad, would not it be better to stay in one's country? "

JS: ”Today, among the players of the France team, there are about 5 players who have decided to go to Spain. I believe that at the moment a player who seeks performance in the padel must go train with the best. And for now, it's Spain. Perhaps soon in France with the CNE and the FFT we will have the infrastructure to train, but this is not yet relevant. “

PM: ”Do you have a message for all the players of padel ? "

JS: "Of course I have a message to pass. Sport is for fun. You have to look for play, pleasure and sharing with your teammate to appreciate every moment. Whether a P50, an afternoon in the final on the central court against Italy, or parties between friends, it is necessary that the pleasure premium. Because it's not because we have fun and we take pleasure that we are not competitive. "

PM: "Thanks Jeremy"

Julien Bondia

Julien Bondia is a teacher of padel in Tenerife (Spain). Columnist and advisor, he helps you play better through his tutorials and tactical/technical articles padel.