FIP Tour: French players in Italy, Ireland, Spain
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Tournaments / Match reports

FIP Tour: French players in Italy, Ireland, Spain

Recorded on Jun 30, 2026

While the Betclic Bordeaux Premier Padel P2 is in full swing, the FIP Tour is by no means in the background for French players this week. Parallel to the home event in Bordeaux, Tricolores are entered at four different venues across Europe and the Caucasus – between FIP Bronze and FIP Silver, a wide range of pairings aim to gain international experience and chase ranking points.

Four stops on the FIP calendar

The FIP Tour week takes French athletes to Italy, Ireland, Spain and Azerbaijan. While Bordeaux's Premier Padel lights are focused on the sport's biggest names, numerous French men and women use the parallel FIP events to build match practice, improve seeded positions and recommend themselves for upcoming stages of the season. The spectrum runs from established pros to pairs with wildcards and qualification spots.

For the French federation and fans, this spread represents a rare chance to follow several contingents at once over a single weekend. The tournaments differ in level, draw strength and ambitions – yet the common thread remains clear: padel at international level outside the Premier Padel stage.

FIP Bronze Chieti: Sireix, Buteau and Marie in Italy

In Chieti, a city in Italy's Abruzzo region, the FIP Bronze Chieti is on the schedule. Several French players are represented in both draws and bring different starting positions.

In the women's event, Camille Sireix teams up with the Dutch player Tess De Vocht as the fourth seeds. That ranking gives the pair genuine tournament weight: Sireix and De Vocht are not outsiders but a duo with realistic chances of a deep run. Their international combination blends French playing culture with Dutch experience and could spring surprises in Abruzzo.

Another Frenchwoman in the women's draw is Laura Buteau. She plays alongside the Spaniard Teresa Casero De La Casa and is seeded eighth. Buteau has steadily gained visibility in recent months; in Chieti she gets the chance to hold her own against an international field and reinforce her FIP ranking progress. In the men's draw, Jules Marie is the relevant French name. He plays with the Belgian Maxime Deloyer and travels with the aim of beating seeded opponents in the Bronze event.

  • Camille Sireix / Tess De Vocht – seed 4 (women)
  • Laura Buteau / Teresa Casero De La Casa – seed 8 (women)
  • Jules Marie / Maxime Deloyer (men)

FIP Silver Belfast: the largest French contingent

French presence is most visible at the FIP Silver Belfast. In Northern Ireland, the largest Tricolore contingent of the week gathers – with several pairings in the main draw in both the women's and men's events.

Carla Touly starts with the Spaniard Sandra Bellver Fructuoso and, as fifth seeds, form one of the strongest women's pairs in the tournament. Touly, long a fixture in French elite padel, brings experience from higher-tier events. Together with Bellver Fructuoso, the pair has the level to be seen as a genuine title contender in Belfast.

Mélissa Martin plays with Fitia Robinson Andrianafetra on a wildcard into the main draw. In the men's event, several French duos are entered: Johan Bergeron and Julien Seurin, Arthur Hugounenq and Yanis Muesser, and Julien Biron and Pierre Perez Le Tiec – all in the main draw and recently active at the Bordeaux P2.

  • Carla Touly / Sandra Bellver Fructuoso – seed 5 (women)
  • Mélissa Martin / Fitia Robinson Andrianafetra – wildcard (women)
  • Johan Bergeron / Julien Seurin (men)
  • Arthur Hugounenq / Yanis Muesser (men)
  • Julien Biron / Pierre Perez Le Tiec (men)

FIP Bronze La Nucía: Leygue and Valdés as top favourites

In La Nucía on the Costa Blanca, the FIP Bronze La Nucía is on the calendar. Thomas Leygue, one of the defining French men's players of the present era, is entered with the Chilean Javier Valdés. The Franco-Chilean pair are third seeds and among the pairings to watch closely in Spain.

Only Dominguez / Sanchez and Garcia / Pineda Cabello sit above Leygue and Valdés in the seedings. After their recent appearance at the Bordeaux P2, both can link directly into another tournament. In qualification, the all-French duo Thibault De Galbert / Charles Gortzounian are also entered.

FIP Bronze Baku: Steffi Merah in Azerbaijan

The fourth and most distant stop takes the tour to Baku in Azerbaijan. Steffi Merah starts as the only Frenchwoman in the FIP Bronze Baku. Beside her is the Portuguese Constança Gorito; together they are third seeds and enter an open women's field with realistic ambitions.

Merah travels with tailwind. After progress in the FIP rankings and a solid run at the FIP Gold Abidjan, she is among the players gaining momentum at this stage of the season. For Merah and Gorito, a deep run in Azerbaijan would bring valuable points and international experience.

Parallel calendar, shared attention

The simultaneous presence of French players in Bordeaux and at four FIP venues shows the growing depth of French padel. While Premier Padel offers the biggest stage, the FIP Tour remains the backbone for athletes who play regularly, collect ranking points and work their way up step by step.

Chieti, Belfast, La Nucía and Baku represent different levels and geographical worlds. Whether as a seeded top duo in Belfast, Bronze favourites in La Nucía or a rising player in Baku – the Tricolores are in action on several fronts at once this week.

Kevin Ishikawa (KI)
Kevin Ishikawa (KI)

AI-supported processing of training, technique and tactics for padel. The model was specifically trained on drill descriptions, coaching analysis, movement patterns and strategic match situations; it has processed a large amount of content on serve, return, bandeja/víbora, positioning and doubles communication. It turns coaching content into clear steps, highlights common mistakes and provides practical explanations for different skill levels.