Thomas Mitjana and young Nathan Courrin have decided to join forces for the 2023 season. In a joint interview, the two players tell us about the birth and ambitions of this new pair.

Despite a good start Padel Campus Arena, the Courrin/Mitjana pair somewhat missed their P2000 in Bordeaux with an entry defeat against to the duo that surprised everyone: Rouanet/Dumartin. Thomas and Nathan used this loss to bounce back and rectify their mistakes. After a third place at the P1000 in Amiens, the duo seems more and more settled and shows a face that lives up to its ambitions.

Padel Magazine : How did you discover the padel ?

Nathan : It was in my tennis club, in 2015, I was still playing tennis thoroughly and little by little, I discovered this sport. I immediately liked it and I got into it 100%.

Thomas : I come from tennis, we all knew each other with Adrien Maigret, Yann Auradou, Ben Tison, we were already going on vacation together at 16-17 years old. When they started the padel, they invited me from time to time, except that they were too strong and I didn't hang on too much. Eventually I started to like the padel in 2018 when I played with guys like me who were still into tennis and who were slowly starting padel. There I had more fun.

“I was looking for a lefty”

Padel Magazine : How did you meet each-other ?

Thomas : With Nathan, we had met on tournaments but we had never really played each other. Finally we were able to face each other in the French Championship and I found that Nathan was playing really well. We also avoided him a lot on the attacking side because he posed a lot of problems for us. Every time I saw him on stages, he was progressing. Since I had separatedis de Mat (Armagnac) and I was looking for a left-hander, Nathan's profile interested me a lot. It was almost obvious.

Padel Magazine : One is in Lyon, the other in Paris, how do you train?

Nathan : For the moment it's a bit complicated, on weekends, Tom works so everyone trains on their own and we will play together for the tournaments.

Thomas : I never used to train with my partner. What is important is above all to work well each on his own and if we can train in pairs it is better. Very few players in France have the chance to train together. I know that Nathan trains a lot, me too on my side. That's what's fun, we both have a project where we are very serious. If we're on the same wavelength, that's the most important thing in my opinion.

Thomas Mitjana - Nathan Courrin

Padel Magazine : At P1000 of Padel Campus Arena, it was your first tournament together, you made a big semi-final against Armagnac and Coirault. You saved three match points in the second set and we really felt that you were more free in the third. What marked you during this premiere?

Nathan: We can speak of a click. I'm not used to playing against players of that level. Doing a final for a first P1000 together is still great. Turning the situation around after having been in difficulty, it proves that we have not given up and that we get along well on the pitch.

Strengths and weaknesses

Thomas: I immediately felt good with Nathan on the track. A small result at the P1000 would not have changed anything. For me, our objectives are long-term, I have confidence in our project. Finally we make a final in a tournament which does not benefit us too much, it is obviously a good result. First Separation Tournament with Mat, inevitably we meet just after, the classic. I was stressed, I had started with a small technical change which I came back to, which meant that I completely missed the first set. Nathan was in the right attitude, he carried me well so that we resumed together. From the moment we saved the three match points, we became unplayable and the situation was reversed.

Padel Magazine : Who says first, necessarily says first inventory of your pair! What do you think are your strengths and weaknesses? Have you already talked about it among yourselves?

Nathan: At the top, on the smashes we are both very comfortable, we can hit all the zones. In weakness, we are a little too offbeat, I am too far in front and Tom is too far behind me.

Thomas: In the future, we will have to manage to be a little more patient and aggressive together. I need to get a little closer to his attacking side and vice versa, Nathan to get closer to my defensive side.

Padel Magazine : In the live of the final, Mario Cordero spoke of a weak point in your team, Nathan would tend to stick too quickly to the net, and Tom would have trouble following, which creates an imbalance. Did you notice it on the field?

Nathan : Completely. In training Johan Bergeron often tells me that I stick to the net too much. I try to do it a little less, it will correct itself over time.

Thomas: I tended to stay way too deep. I'm very comfortable from behind and I try to come and block to vary. The objective this year, in attack as in defense, is to be unpredictable against the opponent. I really want to be in the variation whether in the shots or the choice of areas. I will have to progress, go faster forward to join Nathan at the net. I would like to point out that he had a very good tournament defensively and I really liked that.   

Thomas Mitjana - Nathan Courrin

Padel Magazine : Tom what could Nathan bring to your game?

Thomas : Nathan will be able to bring me a lot of variations in the game. There, in my head, I feel like a player on the right playing on the left. That is to say, Nathan will finish a lot of points and hit a lot. When I played with Mat, I had this role of finisher and sometimes I locked myself in playing a bit at the same speed. Playing with Nathan, who finishes a lot of points for him, will allow me to rest and take a step back in the game. With that, it will be easier to vary and create uncertainty. I know Nathan can come in at any time to finish the point.

Goal top 15?

Padel Magazine : Same question, Nathan what is Thomas can bring you?

Nathan : Tom can give me confidence, he's someone who defends a lot, and that's what I missed a bit, I'm someone who goes very quickly forward and is very aggressive. And I'm used to people I play with doing the same, so there's no one defending. Having someone at the back, who can defend 15 strikes in a row, who varies his game, inevitably I will feel more comfortable. I played a lot with partners who did not accept my aggressiveness on points. Tom, on that, will bring me a lot. I know he's someone serious, trustworthy and he can bring me a lot of qualities. We can complement each other well I think.

Padel Magazine : Thomas you said in an interview that the top 15 was a goal. With Nathan are the objectives the same for this season?

Thomas : Go as far as possible without setting a limit. The top 15, I want us to be in it. When I was top 18, I was injured for four months and I think I could have reached it. We have nothing to defend but everything to take. Reaching the top 15 would be the icing on the cake, the objective will be to have a good level of play together and beat good pairs.

Nathan : Climb in the French ranking to start. If we can win a P1000 or even a P2000, that would be huge. If we compete, it's because we like it. Now we'll see how far we can go together.

Vincent Gallie

A fan of oval football, round ball but also racket sports, he was stung by the padel during his adolescence in Galicia. As comfortable in front of the camera as behind a microphone, Vince will be able to bring his vision and expertise as a fan of the little yellow ball.

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