Arnaud Di Pasquale: "The creation of new courts is great news for padel."

How did you discover padel?

In 2017, my wife and I went to Casablanca with a group of friends to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. At the tennis club, there were 4 padel courts, and we started playing. Everyone loved it—both the athletes and the non-athletes. No matter the sport background of each person, this sport worked for everyone, and it was really unanimous. When we came back, the question was where we could play!

Why do you think padel has become such a phenomenon?

Because it’s very accessible. You have fun right away. Usually, in a sport, there’s a learning curve that’s required. But here, from the very first minutes, the first hits, and the first rallies, you can have fun very quickly. It’s the opposite of tennis, for example, which requires a lot of technique. It’s a fun, spectacular sport with great sensations. This sport makes you believe right away that you’re very good at it, and that’s definitely very enjoyable.

This sport is also very social—it’s played in doubles, and WhatsApp groups to connect people make the practice very dynamic.

How do you view the creation of new Forest Hill padel courts in Paris and Île-de-France?

It’s fantastic news! The demand is greater than the supply, so of course, the creation of new courts is great for the sport and for everyone who wants to play. There’s a huge shortage of courts in Île-de-France, especially in Paris, so this is amazing. It’s definitely something we were hoping to see soon.

Interview by Caroline Pastorelli