The first international padel tournament will take place this weekend in Toulouse.
This racket sport close to tennis is played in doubles and comes to us from Spain.
Padel is booming in Occitania, which has the largest community of players, as well as the largest French club.
There are still places to see the best padel players in the world play, including several from Toulouse.
Basketball player Tony Parker, who initiated the tournament, will be present, and other distinguished guests are expected.
A padel tournament, OK… what is it?
Do not panic, in case you have come across this article by chance, we are giving you a little update.
This racket sport which is played in doubles, at the crossroads of tennis and squash, was born in Spain at the end of the 1970s before crossing the Pyrenees to conquer France.
Since then, it has gained a little more ground each year… especially in Toulouse, chosen to host the Human Padel Open, the first international tournament in France.
10,000 spectators are expected from Wednesday to Sunday at the Sports Palace (Compans-Caffarelli).
Tony Parker, co-organizer, will be present to attend the event.
The former basketball player is not the only star who will be stopping off this weekend in Toulouse: in addition to the 400 players present for the official competition, a parallel tournament will see athletes and personalities from other disciplines compete against each other, such as Grégory Lamboley (rugby), Thierry Omeyer (handball), Olivier Dacourt (football)… or even Cyril Hanouna (whose sports performance is unknown).
Toulouse land of rugby… of padel!
If the Pink City was selected by Robin Haziza, tournament director and captain of the French women's team “it's because it's got everything!
In France, one player ranked in five is in Occitanie, he explains, and it is here that there are the most tournaments.
The Toulouse Padel Club is the largest in France with fourteen courts;
the 4 Padel de Colomiers, which hosts part of the tournament, also arrives in the top 5. And the region is experiencing the strongest momentum with 12 new clubs opening in 2021.
“Proximity to Spain is also a major asset”, specifies Robin Haziza.
Because if France has more than 300,000 practitioners according to him, it is still far from its Iberian neighbor and its four million padel players.
A public close to Toulouse, and which should therefore arrive en masse this weekend to support its (very) numerous teams: the director estimates that more than 2,000 tickets have already been sold to Spaniards.
A fun sport for everyone
Toulouse has its champions, and they are motivated.
“This tournament is exceptional!
I am super proud to play my sport at the highest level and at home!
enthuses Charlotte Soubrié.
A former tennis player, she decided to change racquet only four years ago after accidentally discovering “a team sport, less traumatic for the body and above all very playful!
» Reconversion completed successfully.
The 30-year-old, now French No. 2, intends to show what she is capable of this weekend, helped by her partner Elodie Invernon.
Bastien Blanqué (in photo) is also in the starting blocks.
At 27, the French No. 5 (and 175ᵉ in the world) is one of the few professional French padel players.
Expatriated to Madrid, he hopes to one day be able to make a living from his sport at home, in Toulouse.
“I am confident, padel is also becoming a major sport in France: after this first international event, there will be the first Roland-Garros du Padel in July.
We even plan to become an Olympic discipline in 2028!
With his teammate Francisco Jurado, the pair of champions are aiming for the podium.
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Human Padel Open Tournament
The ticket office is still open and there are a few places left from 12 to 39€, from Wednesday 15 to Sunday 19 June at the Palais des sports.
Tickets are taken for the day (from 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.) with the possibility of leaving and returning.
Toulouse
Occitania
Tennis
Roland Garros 2022
Tony Parker
Spain