Ten years ago, in 2014, the  French Tennis Federation (FFT)  integrated the  paddle  in its statutes. Although the beginnings were gradual, padel has developed at high speed in France. Since 2018, under the impetus of Hubert Picquier , the first elected official in charge of this discipline, and with the growing investment of the FFT, padel has reached a decisive milestone. The most striking example remains the organization of the  Paris Major  au  Roland-Garros stadium , renewed for five years until 2029. But beyond this flagship event, it is a whole  success story  which is emerging for the FFT.

The figures speak for themselves: more than  600 practitioners  and soon  100 competitors  recorded over the last twelve months, or players who have played in at least one approved tournament. An impressive figure that testifies to the growing enthusiasm for the competition. Approximately  16% of practitioners  participated in an official tournament, a sign that the  paddle  is not limited to simple leisure. The growth in the number of regular players also translates into an increased demand for competitions, from the smallest categories to the most elite.

Successful structuring of tournaments

Despite some criticism, the  FFT  maintained its strategy and consolidated the foundations of the competition in France.  P25 to P250 tournaments  have become essential and their number continues to grow. To meet a specific demand, a new category, the  P50 , should see the light of day next September. If its officialization remains pending, certain leagues, like that of the  Martinique , have already announced their intention to adopt it.

The  P500 tournaments  have undergone a particular evolution. Once the first step for experienced players, this category is today a gateway to  P1000 . The stop of the  prize money required  has led to an explosion in the number of P500s, although their level has decreased. A phenomenon that also affects  P250 , but which remains a logical consequence of the multiplication of tournaments and the number of players. A  P500 of 2021  corresponds today to a  P250 in terms of level , while the P1000, P1500 and P2000 took over for the more seasoned players.

With the regionalization of  P1000  Planned for next September, the challenge will be to avoid an imbalance between regions and limit competition between tournaments on the same weekend. The balance seems to be preserved for the moment, but this reform will require careful monitoring.

The P2000, showcase of French padel

The  P2000 , elite French padel tournaments, have established themselves as essential stages. Although they no longer systematically bring together the best French players, the level remains very high, particularly among the men. The example of the  P2000 of Spirit Padel  as evidenced by: the competition highlighted  promising young players , like  Tom Basso , finalist alongside  Damien Bayard , or even Alexis Coulombon , who shone with  Ludovic Cancel  to secure a fourth place at  Lyon .

The coach of the French team,  Pablo Ayma , underlines the importance of these tournaments to detect  new talents  : "This competition is very important to me. While some players are essential to the French national team, we can see how France has an impressive pool of competitive young players. This P2000 in Lyon is a perfect example of that."

A strong message sent to young people seeking to make a place for themselves in the elite.  final  of the P2000 of Lyon also illustrated the  step to take  :  Tom Basso  encountered the experience of  Benjamin Tison , formerly ranked in the world's top 60. The path to the highest level is only just beginning for these young hopefuls.

A key issue: training coaches

Another significant step forward for the  FFT  : the renewal of the  Professional Purpose Title (TFP)  for padel teachers. Despite a long fight against  France Skills , this certification for obtaining a padel diploma, essential for supervising the practice of padel in France, has been validated for a period of  three years A relief for students and clubs, faced with a growing demand for qualified supervisors.

A sport now anchored in mentalities

Finally, the  popularization of padel  in France is undeniable. No need to explain what this sport is. The term  “padel”  is no longer confused with the  stand-up paddle , proof of its roots in the sporting world.

La  FFT  has therefore succeeded in its challenge: to structure and grow a booming sport, by establishing it sustainably in the French landscape. The next challenges will be to  sustain this growth , deploy (which is already the case) actions to boost women's padel in competition, while adapting to the boom in this sport.

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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