“300 players, 13 nations: youth padel is experiencing a historic moment at FIP Promises Paris” – Hernan Auguste

Le FIP Promises Paris by WME, organized at Tennis / Padel Lésigny Club, marked a major milestone in the development of youth padel. For the first time, France hosted a tournament bringing together more than 300 pairs from all over Europe, in a new format.
Present on site, Hernán “Bebe” Auguste, former professional player and today Director of the padel section at WME, the main partner of the event, looks back on this first edition and shares its vision of global padel.

A shared culture of padel

“From our very first discussion with Dani and Guillaume, who initiated the tournament, we were immediately drawn to the idea. The goal was clear: to bring together as many young players as possible from all over EuropeGuillaume wanted to make this tournament one of the leading junior padel events worldwide. Today, we have over 300 pairs, from France, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Portugal… It's a real success.

For Baby augusteThe success of this tournament depends on the diversity of nationalities represented "It's a truly international tournament. You see children of all ages, from many countries, meeting on the courts. It's incredibly enriching because it creates a shared padel culture. I believe this tournament brings together the largest number of young people from different countries on the entire FIP Promises circuit."

The Argentinian also highlighted the logistical effort made by the organization: "The organization did a tremendous amount of work to allow the children to come, sometimes helping them financially, so that they could have this experience. The goal is for them to be able to play several times a year against other young people from Europe"Not just in their own country. That's how the overall level will improve."

Young people need to have an international calendar

Looking back on his own time, Auguste reflects on the evolution of padel: "When I started playing in 1991, padel existed mainly in Argentina and a few other South American countries. In Spain, it was just starting out. Today, it's a different world: padel is everywhere. It's a sport that has experienced extraordinary growth."
For him, the challenge now is to ensure continuity between junior and professional circuits "Young players need a real international calendar, a ranking system, and tournaments that allow them to develop. It's the only way to create a solid foundation for the future."

“At the last World Championships in Reus, I saw an impressive level,” he says. “In the U14 categories, for example, we are starting to see very strong pairs from France, Italy, Sweden, and Mexico. Of course, Spain and Argentina remain dominant, but other nations are catching up. And that’s fantastic for the future of the sport.”

According to him, the creation of the FIP Promises circuit will transform youth training: "Five years ago, this circuit didn't even exist. Today, tournaments are multiplying, and that's what will allow new generations to grow. We're starting to build the padel of the future."

No more junior tournaments…

If he had to choose a priority for the coming years, Baby auguste He doesn't hesitate: "If I had a magic wand, I would push junior tournaments even further. Young people from different countries need to be able to..." confront each other more oftenThis is what will ultimately create a true global elite. And on that day, we will see French, Swedish, or Italian players competing in the semi-finals of the professional circuit.

The former world number one also analyzes the evolution of professional padel: “The sport has evolved enormously. Today, there are many more players who can make a living from their profession than ten years ago. Before, only the very best could dedicate themselves exclusively to padel. Today, the facilities, sponsors, and circuits offer this opportunity to many more players. And prize money is increasing. Padel is experiencing positive growth.”

Hernan bebe auguste Daniel Dios wme Guillaume solis

I remember wooden rackets and the stability they provided in pairs…

Regarding the evolution of equipment, he remains measured: "I knew the era of the wooden snowshoes"Then came the first modern rackets. Obviously, there was a big difference back then. But between what I used at the end of my career and what players use today, the difference isn't huge. What has changed a lot are the training conditions: today, players have physical coaches, trainers, psychologists. In our day, that was a luxury."

Regarding the frequent changes of partners on the tour, he acknowledges a generational shift: “In my generation, changing partners after three tournaments was frowned upon. We played at least a full season with the same partner, often for several years. In my 22-year career, I haven't had not even ten partners "I played six years with Mariano Lasaigues, four with Alejandro Lasaigues, four with Gaby Reca, three with Cristian Gutiérrez, two with Matías Díaz, and one year with Pablo Semprún. These days, the pairings change all the time. It's a different era."

He does, however, understand this new dynamic: "Players want quick results, schedules are busier, and opportunities are more plentiful. This is also what makes the modern circuit so exciting for spectators. The changes create new stories every season."

The story behind his nickname “Bebe”

Finally, Hernán Auguste humorously revisits his legendary nickname. "Baby" “When I was little, I played tennis at my club in Buenos Aires. I moved up a category because I was winning everything, but when I started losing to the older players, I often cried. People would say, ‘He’s a baby!’ And it stuck. Today, everyone calls me Bebe, even in my family!”

Having become a key figure in the world of padel, Baby auguste continues its development mission through WME, partner of FIP Promises Paris by WME, with a strong conviction: "Padel needs its base. The future of the sport is built here, among young people."

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.