satisfy Eugenio Raniriharinosyan essential figure in the development of padel in Madagascar. Passionate coach, he accompanied Prisca Razafimamonjia et Love Robinsonthe first two Malagasy players to enter the ranking FIP. He traces the evolution of this sport in his country and its future prospects.
Can you tell us about Madagascar and padel? How did this sport develop?
Okay, so I’m going to talk about evolution. The first paddle court in Madagascar was created in 2019and over time this sport has grown rapidly. Today we have 25 lands distributed over two cities: 23 in the capital et 2 a Taste. Initially there were only about twenty practitioners. Currently there are more than 500 players in Madagascar.
You are a coach. How did you start practicing this sport and how long have you been doing this job?
Basically, I was a good player ping-pong and so much badmintonmember of the national badminton team. I also played tennis e squash. I discovered padel by chance during business trips to France, where I took lessons in several clubs.
Did your experience in France inspire you to become a coach in Madagascar?
Exactly. I gained a lot of experience in France and, upon my return, I decided to dedicate myself to it paddle. Since then I have worked with clubs and more recently with a youth federationcreated in May 2023which is starting to structure this sport in Madagascar.
It is precisely this federation that allowed Prisca and Fitia to participate in this tournament. How do you feel as a coach?
I am very proud of these two players. This is the first time that Malagasy people, of all categories, have joined the FIP international ranking. For men there have already been participations in international competitions, such as African Cup in Egypt in 2022 and in Mauritania last May, but always on a private basis. This tournament marks an important step for Malagasy women’s padel.
And you, why don’t you participate in the tournament?
[Ride] Because I’m all alone and… a little old! I prefer to be a coach rather than a player.
What are the plans in Madagascar for the next few months? Are you planning to organize an international tournament?
For the moment there are no concrete plans for an international tournament. We must first put our ground to standardbecause only the largest club in Madagascar has two shorts. We are moving forward step by step.
Does the largest club only have two fields?
Yes, that’s all. There are some clubs with two shortsbut most only have one.
Despite this, do you feel a craze for padel in Madagascar?
Yes, absolutely. Let’s see later 30 and 50 new players per week in clubs, even if they train mainly for free time. Currently, on 500 practitionersOf 100 are regulars in competition. This is all very recent, the real growth started after the launch of a tournament in July 2022.
Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.
