The courts of the mind Padel Lyon crowned two emblematic figures of French sport. Arnaud Clement et Arnaud Di Pasquale, former tennis professionals, won the French Padel Championships for over-45s 2024, winning the national title without conceding a single set.

A controlled course

Seeded No. 6, the pair demonstrated impressive consistency. In the quarterfinals, they eliminated No. 3 seeds Sébastien Peauchat and Nicolas Kischewitz, with a clear score of 6/2, 6/3. In the final, they dominated Romain Coirault and Stephan Nogaret (seed number 2) at the end of a close match, concluded in two sets 6/4, 7/6.

This victory confirms the great progress of two players already seen in the French top 50 padel, and who continue to demonstrate their experience and competitiveness.

From tennis to padel: a shared passion

Their journey is a reminder of how former tennis players are finding a new dynamic in padel. Arnaud Clement, finalist of the 2001 Australian Open and former world number 10 ATP, marked the history of French tennis with his energy and tenacity, before taking on the role of Davis Cup captain. Arnaud Di Pasquale, bronze medalist at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and former world number 39, also continued his sporting commitment by becoming national technical director within the FFT.

Both have turned to padel in recent years, a rapidly growing discipline that is attracting more and more former top-level players. Their partnership, born from their friendship and shared love of competition, is now enjoying national recognition.

A friendly and demanding competition

Although they won the title without dropping a set, Clément and Di Pasquale know that padel remains a demanding sport where every point can change. Their physical condition, maintained over the years, allows them to compensate for their still limited experience compared to the circuit's specialists. Their style of play, based on aggression and combativeness, allowed them to make the difference throughout the tournament.

This victory illustrates the growing importance of padel in the career transition of former champions. For both Clément and Di Pasquale, it's not just a hobby: it's a discipline where they rediscover the adrenaline rush of competition and the joy of sharing the court. Their title as French Over-45 champions proves that they're still among the major players on the national scene... in padel!

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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