Present at  FIP Silver of Narbonne ,  Maxime Joris  had to fight to get through the first round alongside  Lucas Pillon The Frenchman also reflects on a start to the season marked by several changes of partners, and his future project with  Bastien Blanqué , the difficulties for the French to team up with the Spanish and his ambitions with the French team.

 A tense opening in Narbonne 

Facing the Belgian  Maxime Deloyer  and to the old  13th ranked tennis player in the world, Jerzy Janowicz Maxime Joris was expecting a difficult match.

After losing the first set in a tie-break despite several opportunities, the French pair managed to stay in the match before turning the tide to finally win in three sets.

"We needed to reset after the first set. We were more composed in the second, and then we finally managed to implement our tactics at the beginning of the third. We broke serve quickly, gained confidence, and managed the end of the match much better."

For Joris, this victory was primarily a mental one.

Maxime Joris: "If Bastien Blanqué hadn't called me, I would have finished the year with Jérémy Robert."

 A start to the season marked by several changes 

Since the beginning of 2026, Maxime Joris has changed partners several times. A situation he had not anticipated.

His initial project was to be built with  Manuel Vives , but the Frenchman's injuries quickly disrupted the plans.

"We had a real project together. We had finished the previous year very well before our injuries, but Manu had several physical problems that dragged on."

During this period of uncertainty,  Jeremy Robert  contacted him to offer him the chance to play in some tournaments.

"He sent me a message just as Manu was injured. I told him right away that we could give it a try."

Meanwhile, Manuel Vives returns sooner than expected and Joris decides to go with him on an Asian tour, while promising Robert that they will play together when he returns.

A promise kept, as the two Frenchmen then went on to play in several tournaments.

The scenario takes another turn when  Bastien Blanqué  gets in touch with him.

"Bastien called me to present his project until the end of the season."

A proposal that will not be accepted immediately.

"I thought about it for three weeks. I talked about it a lot with Jeremy before making my decision."

 Why was Bastien Blanqué chosen? 

While the call from the former French number one might have seemed obvious, Maxime Joris explains that the choice was much more complex than it appears.

"Jeremy and I had a real chemistry. We trained very well, we were already beating good teams, and the project was really interesting."

He goes even further.

"If Bastien hadn't called me, I would have finished the year with Jérémy without hesitation. And if Jérémy hadn't had another opportunity to build his own project, I would never have left him."

Ultimately, Bastien Blanqué's experience and the proposed project tipped the scales.

The two men will officially begin their partnership during the  Bordeaux P2 qualifications , the first meeting of a partnership planned until the end of the season.

 Why do the French play so little with the Spanish? 

When asked about the fact that many French players continue to play amongst themselves rather than with Spanish partners, Maxime Joris recalls that he himself tried the experience.

In 2025, he had shared the track with the Spaniard  Guillem Figuerola , while he was training in Madrid.

"The first few months went very well."

But according to him, language remains a major obstacle.

"Today, I speak Spanish much better than before, but it will never be as natural as French."

Joris also believes that Spanish players still find it difficult to trust the French.

"I think they don't always value us as much as we should."

He cites, in particular, the example of  Timeo Fonteny , currently climbing the circuit.

"Timéo is on the verge of exploding onto the scene, and yet no Spaniard is calling him."

For him, living in Spain remains almost essential to hope to integrate into this environment.

“Thomas Leygue told me that if you want to play with a Spaniard, you have to live in Spain, train with them, and build relationships. Today, we have very good facilities in France, so it's not necessarily easy to leave. It's also my choice to play with a Frenchman, even though, obviously, if a very good Spaniard offered me a project, I might consider it.”

 Competition is intensifying for the French team 

A few months before the World Championships, Maxime Joris observes a French team in full transition.

"Since some players from the generation of Blanqué, Maigret, or Scatena have stepped back a bit more, a new generation is pushing very hard."

Although he too is part of this new wave, he believes that experience should not be disregarded.

"It's great to give young players a chance, but we shouldn't write off the veterans too quickly. When you see the level of Bastien or Johan today, they are players we absolutely mustn't overlook."

Versatile, capable of playing on both the right and left wings, Joris knows, however, that nothing is guaranteed.

"Today, only skill level matters. If I'm good enough, I'll have my place. Otherwise, it will be someone else. The matches won and the tournaments won will make the difference."

The Frenchman will also participate in the  training camp for the French national team , organized at  Vichy  during the week of  July 13 , where twelve players will be gathered before the final choices of the staff.

French men's national team: the roster for the training camp at the Vichy National Training Center has been released

 Lebrón for the game, Galán for the physique 

Heavy consumer of Premier PadelMaxime Joris follows the circuit throughout the season.

"I watch almost everything, from the first round to the finals. It's often the same players, but the matches are always different."

Two players particularly inspire him.

“I really like Juan Lebrón’s playing style, even if I’m not necessarily a fan of the character. And physically, Alejandro Galán impresses me enormously. He’s a real benchmark for me. I’d like to reach that level of athleticism.”

He also acknowledges the immense qualities of Arturo Coello , while admitting that his childhood idol remains  Sanyo Gutiérrez .

 High goals for the end of the season 

Having already won his first title this season, Maxime Joris does not intend to stop there.

"My first goal was to win a tournament, and I've done that. Now I'd like to win more."

Among its priorities is also participation in  Roland Garros  visit us at the  Bordeaux P2 a place in  France team  and an improvement in the FIP rankings.

The Frenchman is aware that the level of competition on the circuit continues to increase.

"Today, there are no easy matches anymore. Everyone is playing well, the young players are coming through, we need to win matches and gain confidence. The rest will come naturally."

Maceo ZERHAT

Maceo Zerhat discovered padel in 2020 in Savigny-sur-Clairis, Burgundy. He contributed to the club's expansion by bringing his energy and curiosity. Padel Magazinehe transmits his Padel"mania" by skillfully bouncing on all the latest news about your favorite sport!

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