Human Padel Open: “The best in the world soon in Toulouse!” Two Toulousains, padel stars, are preparing for the big event next June
Charlotte Soubrié and Bastien Blanqué are from Toulouse and are licensed at the Stade Toulousain Tennis. They are among the best French players and are preparing to host the first stage of the World Padel Tour in their city.
From June 13 to 19, the World Padel Tour is stopping off for the very first time in France, in Toulouse. The Pink City is the land of origin of some of the best Frenchmen in the discipline such as Bastien Blanqué and Charlotte Soubrié, licensed at Stade Toulousain. Cross interview.
As a Toulousain, participating in the tournament in Toulouse, does that inspire you?
Bastien Blancque: For me it’s great because I started in Blagnac, there were a few small tournaments on the Côte d’Azur but not much else, the pro circuit was in Spain. This sport is becoming international and global, so having a stage of the World Padel Tour in Toulouse is great, there are the best players in the world who come to our Sports Palace. I am very very proud of that. The ambition is to go as far as possible, in the end it’s a stage like the others, you have to earn points. Afterwards of course there will be all my friends and my family who will come to see me play, that adds something more.
Charlotte Soubrie: I would love to participate yes, it’s in my city. Of course I want to. For the moment I do not know how to comment yet I will participate in the tournament, in which table. I’m not ranked to go straight there. There are qualifications and wild cards (invitation).
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How did you discover padel?
CS: I play tennis first. The padel I discovered a bit by chance five years ago, there was a tournament on the Place du Capitole. The Stade Toulousain was doing an activity there and I have a friend who asked me to take part. I stepped into it and never got out.
BB: I discovered that in Blagnac a very long time ago. There was a tennis complex where you could try out. Afterwards I continued tennis and above all I played a lot of football. At 14 I played padel again with the family and I loved it, so I continued. I accelerated and there for five years I live in Madrid.
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What did you like?
CS: For me, it’s the playful and collective side. I played tennis for years but you’re alone, there are two of us and it’s much more accessible than tennis. You can have fun much faster than in tennis.
BB: It’s fun, it’s open to all audiences. It’s fun and it’s a very spectacular sport. There really is a way to have fun.
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You are top athletes in a developing sport, how has this changed your daily life?
CS: I work on the side, I have flexible hours because I have the status of a top athlete. For me, it suits me very well to reconcile my sport and my work. I’m 33 years old so it’s complicated for me to leave my job to get into padel 100%. I play at a good level, I train, I have fun and it’s very good like that. Bastien, he is still young (laughs).
BB: Me, to be a pro padel player you had to go to Spain, so five years ago I went to Madrid because there they had the structures, the coaches, the clubs. Being in France and being a pro is complicated, it will come little by little. For the moment I train there, every morning, every afternoon. I do tournaments on the pro circuit and the French circuit and I manage to earn my living thanks to the sponsors currently. The cash prizes are quite low, but when you are one of the best French people, you are lucky to have good sponsors.
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What do you think of the evolution of this sport?
BB: There are a lot of top athletes who play there, there are public figures like Cyril Hanouna too. It’s good for sports. You can progress at any age. For example former footballers who at 35 end their career, they will find it fun, they will play with friends and they will progress and participate in high level competitions sometimes.
CS: That’s exactly it, Bastien has said it all, we can see the enthusiasm it’s taking on social networks, it’s working really well, it’s viral.
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Human Padel Open: practical information
Men’s and women’s international tournament of the Circuit World Padel Tour.
APPOINTMENT :
June 13 and 14: qualifying phases at 4Padel Toulouse-Colomiers
June 15 to 19: main draw at the Palais des Sports André Brouat
Matches from 9:30 a.m. until night (10 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.)
KEY FIGURES :
- 120 World Elite players
- The Top 10 men and women of the World Padel Tour ranking
SPECTATORS and TICKETS :
- 3,000 spectators expected each day
- Tickets on sale at www.humanpadelopen.fr
- VIP hospitality offer available