We do not stop them anymore! This inseparable pair, André Lafenêtre and Claude Baigts, has managed to create unique events with their team for many, many years. The 2019 year will be clearly a year like no other with events all year long and for everyone in France and abroad.

André, Claude 4 incredible events for 2019… How are you doing?

ANDRE: Each project is studied months or even years in advance and we can count on qualified people who join us for each competition.

CLAUDE: It's because we're not a federation that we can make decisions quickly after, as André said, weighing the pros and the cons. I would add that we also know very quickly how to separate ourselves from incompetent or Padel Magazine knows well that there are many in the small world of Padel.

What is your management?

André: mainly human, we listen a lot and we share with all those who wish to contribute their knowledge; it's our way of being able to build an army of conscripts. We select sporty providers like Barnum Evens for the courts and the laying of the coverings supplied by Tarket Field Turf and others.

Claude: each year we invest between 50 and 100.000 euros in new projects or as in 2018 in 2 courts of padel mobiles allowing assembly in 4 hours and disassembly in 2 hours. This is essential to shorten the occupancy times of the City Centers.

Claude you announced your departure for Malaga in July 2019. Why ?

We have prepared with André this move and instead of making it a constraint we made it an asset; AECP will have an office in Toulouse and another in Malaga. I will be the ambassador of the French Open for Spain, Portugal and Africa.

But I must also admit that family reasons have pushed my wife, my daughter Jeanne to settle in Malaga. I also had to get up and let André build his teams and take the queens.

Is it a shame not to see your events connected to federations or other types of institutions?

Claude: I do not live by looking in the rearview mirror but rather in the present and by projecting myself by period of 5 years. That does not mean that I did not memorize the low blows carried by those to whom we have with André, put the foot in the stirrup of the Padel. And then I listen and I keep the announcements of those who have the means to develop the padel in France and in Europe. I need not be ashamed of my record since 1990 to 2003 and from 2016 to the present day.

André: More than Claude, I am passionate about sports and even more about padel, nothing can get to me. Except perhaps the complacency of some who pride themselves on the small results obtained. I notice since my return in the padel that nothing has changed, a real world organization of padel able to rely on significant funding and competent men and women, both exist but those in place do not want to open the door.

Gentlemen, do you have a final message for us?

André and Claude: Let's launch it padel women in France and in Europe, for that the players must join us. For investors who wish to join us, simply contact us /

opendefrancepadel.org – europadelcup.com

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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