Pascal Aucouturier, from tennis to padel: the perspective of a builder

Former ranked tennis player -15 , a player in land development since the late 1980s and founder of Padel Short , Pascal Aucouturier is one of the pioneers who accompanied the rise of padel in France. Present for the first edition of the Salon of Padel which will be held March 28 and 29, 2026 , at the club Padel Horizon à Sucy-en-Brie He looks back on his journey, his transition from tennis to padel, the creation of his company and his vision for infrastructure development in the coming years.

A career rooted in high-level tennis

Before establishing himself as a prominent figure in padel, Pascal Aucouturier first built his career on the tennis courts. A former ranked player -15 He was playing at a time when this level corresponded to a particularly high national ranking, close to the french top 30 .

"I was ranked -15, which at the time represented a very good level."

He continued his sporting career until the age of 27, before turning his professional future towards the corporate world. After commercial studies He takes over the management of companies specializing in the tennis court construction , a sector in which he has been working continuously since 1988 .

This long experience allows him to have an in-depth understanding of the realities of clubs, communities and sports infrastructure.

The birth of Padel Short and the intuition of the padel turn

This is 2018 that Pascal Aucouturier officially launches Padel Short , even though the thinking around padel goes back much further. From the mid-2010s, he sensed that a major change was taking place.

"I had a feeling there would be a significant movement around padel, and I wanted to be a part of it."

His intuition is based on several elements: a sport user-friendly , accessible Played in teams of four, it encourages close interaction and exchange between players. A former tennis player, he also immediately perceived the cultural difference between the two disciplines.

"For a tennis player, it's not easy at first, because you have to accept letting the ball pass you by."

Despite this technical adaptation, he quickly identified a much wider potential audience than just the tennis community.

A sport capable of uniting people far beyond tennis

Early on, Pascal Aucouturier observed that padel attracts a variety of profiles. Footballers, rugby players, volleyball players, practitioners of team or individual sports: the discipline appeals because of its fun and social aspect.

"I saw that this sport could appeal to everyone, not just tennis players."

His perspective is also shaped by his experience with French tennis. After witnessing the proliferation of sometimes isolated facilities, lacking a true club atmosphere, he gradually perceives a loss of momentum of the traditional model .

"I felt a kind of disaffection for the club and for competitive practice."

A mixed start, but one driven by confidence

When Padel Court really enters the market, the momentum is encouraging… before being abruptly halted by the health crisis.

"The beginnings were both simple and chaotic."

Despite this context, several clubs quickly decided to place their trust in him, bolstered by a relationship built over years in tennis. The first projects emerged around Bordeaux , territory historically linked to its activity.

"Some clubs told me: if you think it's a good thing, we'll support you."

His network, his playing background, and his in-depth knowledge of the field facilitated this transition. The first leads were delivered as early as 2018, marking the true starting point of Padel Short in French padel.

A philosophy based on support

Today, Padel Court is almost exclusively focused on the paddle , even though Pascal Aucouturier continues to occasionally work on tennis projects for long-standing clients.

According to him, what distinguishes his company above all is not only the product, but the working method.

"We support projects before, during, and after the work."

Upstream advice, exchanges with architects, monitoring of the construction site, verification of the paving and networks: the company intervenes well beyond the simple installation of the track.

This requirement sometimes implies a higher cost than some competitors, but it is part of a deliberate strategy of quality and durability .

"We are sometimes a little more expensive, but we are there from start to finish."

A development that is still far from reaching maturity

According to Pascal Aucouturier, French padel is still in a phase of active growth. The number of courts has increased significantly, but the market has not yet reached equilibrium.

"The more padel there is, the more players there are. And the more players there are, the more padel is needed."

He believes that the private clubs still have several years of development ahead of them before a gradual slowdown. In the longer term, the FFT affiliated clubs will continue their equipment, at a slower pace, but over a much longer period.

"They don't have the same resources, nor the same economic model."

Finally, he anticipates the future emergence of a more niche market: that of private installations in private homes , which is expected to develop later.

With over thirty years spent in the construction of sports infrastructure, Pascal Aucouturier embodies a generation of people who have witnessed padel's birth, growth, and lasting establishment in France. Through Padel Short His approach is based on a simple idea: supporting projects over the long term, with high standards and a methodical approach. As padel continues to develop its structure, his perspective as someone with practical experience reminds us of one essential thing: development is not measured solely by the number of courts, but by the quality of the projects that bring them to life.

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!