It is already establishing itself as a world reference in youth padelFor its first edition, the FIP Promises Paris by WME, organized at Tennis / Padel Lésigny Club, brought together more than 340 young people from 13 European nations, an unprecedented figure for a tournament of this category. Between international atmosphere, high level of sport and meticulous organization, this event marked an important step for the development of padel among young people.

Present on site, Germain Roesch, president of the Île-de-France Tennis and Padel Leaguehailed an "exceptional" success and shared his vision for the future of youth padel in France.

"Blown away by the quality of the infrastructure and the organization"

"When I arrived, I was blown away by the quality of the infrastructure," he confided. Germain Roesch.
"I was able to speak with many people involved — players, coaches, support staff, doctors — and they all emphasized the quality of the organization."

The president of the Île-de-France region recalls that after the success of the youth circuit Île-de-FranceThe League wanted to take things to the next level:

"Last year, after the Masters circuit, we announced our intention to step things up a notch. With this FIP Promises Paris, that's exactly what we've done."

The level of play is improving significantly among young French players.

With the presence of U14 and U16 world champion pairsThe tournament offered a high-level spectacle.

“We feel that there is still a small step to take to reach certain nations, but we are already seeing some very nice surprises from France. In the U12 and U14 categories, the gap is narrowing. We are undoubtedly seeing the future of French padel,” analyzes Germain Roesch.

The matches confirmed that the France is progressing rapidly on the European scene, particularly thanks to the structuring of youth padel and “to the work carried out by the regional leagues".

The Île-de-France League, a key partner in the project

La Île-de-France League became involved very early in the organization of this event, which represents a key axis of regional development.

"It seemed important to me that the League be a partner of what is today the biggest youth event in France, and probably one of the three biggest in Europe," explains Roesch.

The president also emphasized the exceptional nature of the tournament:

A FIP Promises event usually brings together around fifty players. Here, there are more than 340, “welcomed like professionals, with a real village, an international atmosphere and exceptional conditions”.

"The goal: to make it a world-class tournament."

Like the tournament of Tarbes in tennisThe ambition is clear: to establish the FIP Promises Paris by WME like a world reference padel for young people.

"The goal is for this tournament to become an unmissable event. This is just a first step, but it will be permanent. We will continue to invest, as we did for the Île-de-France youth circuit," emphasizes Germain Roesch.

The president did not forget to acknowledge the players at the Lésigny club:

"I would like to thank the tournament director, William Solis"His team, the volunteers, and the employees. Their commitment has been exceptional."

Women's development: a challenge common to all of Europe

Addressing the issue of women's padel, Germain Roesch acknowledges a persistent imbalance:

"There are still fewer girls than boys, but that's a global reality, not just a French one."

He nevertheless highlights an encouraging development:

"This tournament has over 30% female players, which is very close to the standards of tennis. This is excellent news, especially for an event of this scale."

A first edition destined to grow

The conclusion is clear: this first edition of the FIP Promises Paris by WME mark it the beginning of a long story.

"We can already announce that there will be a second edition in Lésigny," confirms Germain Roesch, before concluding:
"Long live padel, long live Lésigny, long live the Île-de-France League and the French Tennis Federation!"

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.

On the same subject

Tags