French Championships 2026: Boronad / Robert, much more than just outsiders?

The 2026 French Championships are fast approaching. From Friday, October 2nd to Sunday, October 4th, the battle for the men's title promises to be particularly open, with several French players having taken a significant step forward this season on the international circuit. Among the expected pairs, one stands out: Yoan Boronad and Jérémy Robert are the only two of the top four seeds to regularly play together on the circuit. Seeded fourth, the two young Frenchmen may have a real chance.

A project built to last

The association between Yoan Boronad and Jérémy Robert it only dates back a few months. Jeremy was coming out of his project with Maxime Joris while Yoan wanted to open a new chapter after his association with Timeo Fonteny .

The two young Frenchmen quickly found common ground. Close friends off the track and both under 20 years old, they chose to build a joint project with the idea of progressing together on the international circuit.

For the moment, significant results are still slow to materialize internationally. But the objective also lies elsewhere: to accumulate matches, learn to play together and develop automatic plays over time.

And with the French Championships approaching, this continuity could well become one of their main strengths.

Boronad and Robert pull off a major upset against Mena/Belluati, three French pairs in the second round of Rotterdam P2 qualifying.

The only pair in the top 4 who play together

Of the top four seeds in these French Championships, Boronad and Robert are the only ones to regularly share the track on the international circuit lately .

This obviously doesn't automatically make them the favorites for the title, but this information could be important in the close moments of a match.

The two players know each other's movements, habits, and how their partner reacts in tense situations. They have already experienced different match scenarios together and will therefore not be going into the unknown.

A different situation from several of their main competitors.

Rediscovering their automatic responses for Guichard/Vives and Fonteny/Bergeron

Dylan Guichard and Manuel Vives They form a particularly solid pair on paper, but the two players have not played together for several months.

The same observation, to a lesser extent, applies to Timéo Fonteny and Johan Bergeron The two Frenchmen had started the season together before ultimately going their separate ways during the year.

Individual talent is obviously present in both associations, but the French Championships constitute a special tournament, where matches follow one another quickly and where knowledge of one's partner can make the difference in certain situations.

In this area, Boronad and Robert inevitably have additional points of reference.

FIP Platinum Lyon – Guichard and Vives hit hard from the start and secure a round of 16 match

Blanqué/Leygue, a special case

The situation is different for Bastien Blanqué and Thomas Leygue .

They don't play together throughout the entire season, but it's hard to talk about a lack of understanding between the two men. They've known each other for years and have already won three French championship titles together .

The experience gained in this competition allows them to quickly find their bearings, even without sharing the track every week.

Boronad and Robert certainly won't start with an automatic advantage against such an experienced pair. But unlike some partnerships formed or reformed for the occasion, they arrive with genuine continuity.

P2000 4PADEL Bordeaux – Leygue and Blanqué win the title after a nail-biting finish

Boronad / Robert, ready to shake up the hierarchy?

On paper, their status of seeded 4 This places them slightly behind the three pairs ahead of them. But the gap could be less significant than it appears.

Boronad and Robert are young, they progress together and arrive with automatic responses built up week after week. They already know how to operate in good times and bad.

This guarantees nothing in a particularly open men's draw. But with just a few days until the start of the competition, one question deserves to be asked: Are Yoan Boronad and Jérémy Robert still simply outsiders, or should they now be considered among the credible candidates for the 2026 French championship title?

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!