Toulouse. Blanqué: “We knew it was going to be hard”
Bastien Blanqué was expected in the Pink City for this first French stage of the World Padel Tour. But with his Spanish teammate, he fell from the start of pre-qualifying.
How did you approach the event?
It was obviously a special date for me. As a Toulousain and licensed at the Stadium, I did not want to miss this tournament, a first in France for the World Padel Tour circuit. I was waiting to know whether or not I was going to get an invitation for the main draw or for the qualifications. In any case, physically, I felt ready. I was confident about my preparation. Unfortunately, in the draw, without looking for excuses, we had no success with my teammate (the Spaniard Francisco Jurado Sosa, 166th, editor’s note), with whom I was playing for the first time, falling from entry on pair N.1 of the table.
You are down 6-2, 6-4. What is your analysis?
Looking back, I don’t think there’s much to say. We came across stronger than us. We knew it was going to be very hard. It’s the kind of game you lose without having any regrets because on the other side of the net the guys were really strong.
But the disappointment must still be there, right?
Yes, specially. We lose entry and it was for a stage of the World Padel Tour in Toulouse. In addition, there must have been between 300 and 400 people to play and see us. But it’s also the kind of experience that should serve me for the future. You have to keep working and the wheel will end up turning.
Charlotte Soubrié and Thomas Leygue, two other members of Stade Toulousain, had an invitation for the final table. What does this remind you of?
Of course, I would have liked to have had this invitation for the big picture. But I’m really happy for them.
Before this Toulouse tournament, what was your previous result?
Two weeks earlier, I contested an event in Marbella, Spain, and I also lost in the first round of pre-qualifications.
As for the rest of your season, what will be your main objective?
I live the Greenweez Paris Premier Padel Major, an event which is scheduled in July on the Roland-Garros site.