Only at  23 years , Thomas Lelarge already humorously considers himself an “old nugget” of the circuit. Present at the  4Padel Strasbourg  for  French Interclub National 1 championships 2025  alongside the All In, he looks back on his career, his ambitions and the evolution of padel in France.

 A journey between tennis and padel 

Like many padel players, Thomas Lelarge started with tennis. "I played  13 years of tennis  in Rennes, in the same club as  Dylan Guichard . We spent 10 years together on the courts before discovering padel at  Garden , seven years ago." A first contact that quickly turned into passion.

From the first tournaments  P250 and P500 , he takes a liking to the competition and sees his friend  Dylan Guichard  fly to Spain to progress more quickly. "Dylan quickly got the measure of this sport. He was able to impose himself with a meteoric rise." Today, Guichard shines on the international scene, while Thomas continues his journey in France.

 A consistent and strategic player 

Thomas Lelarge stands out for his consistency on the field. "I like to stay in the game, put my voice out there and get into the opponent's head." His ability to keep his cool and motivate his team has proven decisive in recent clashes.

 The debate on foreign players in N1 

The question of the participation of  spanish players  at the French Interclub N1 championships is controversial. Some believe that the presence of these players diminishes the interest of the competition. Thomas, for his part, has a clear opinion: "The more top players there are, the better. Playing against top-level Spaniards or French players pushes us to progress. It's an incredible opportunity."

However, he acknowledges that the current regulations pose a problem.  Players like Dylan Guichard were unable to participate  due to administrative constraints. "It's a shame not to see the best French people at this event because of simple paperwork issues."

 Measured ambitions 

Despite his level and experience, Thomas Lelarge does not yet intend to devote himself full time to padel.  Graduated from an engineering school , he juggles between his work and his training. "I play  once or twice a week  and I take advantage of the weekends to participate in tournaments."

However, the desire to progress is very present. He regrets not having had access to  structures such as academies  who today train the young hopes of French padel. "When we see young people like  Jeremy Robert, Thomas Basso or Lucas Potel , we say to ourselves that it is an inestimable opportunity to be accompanied in this way.

 The future of padel in France 

With padel growing exponentially in France, Thomas Lelarge remains optimistic about the future of the sport. His personal goal:  reach the French top 50  and continue to measure themselves against the best French players.  Passion, competition and strategy , these are the values ​​that drive this player, already well established on the national scene.

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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