Fabrice Pastor: “My aim is to make padel bigger than tennis”
In an exclusive interview with Monaco Tribune, Fabrice Pastor talks about his ambition to propel padel to the top of international sport © A1 Padel Tour
The first Beausoleil Grand Master tournament will take place from 21 to 30 March. The founder of the A1 Padel Tour and great racquet sport enthusiast, Fabrice Pastor, tells us all about the prestigious event, where the best players on the circuit will battle it out on the outskirts of Monaco.
Beausoleil’s Tennis Padel Club is getting ready to welcome the elite of the A1 Padel Tour for an eagerly-awaited event: the ‘Grand Master de Beausoleil’, the circuit’s first local stage before it comes to the Principality this summer. The tournament will be a high point of the season, with 48 teams taking part and the highest number of points up for grabs.
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Fabrice Pastor, the circuit’s creator and a leading figure in the padel world, talks about the importance of the tournament: “The circuit’s best international players are taking part in our leg. Name a tournament anywhere in the world, in any sport where all the players mix with the local club? At Tennis Padel Soleil, there are even professional tennis and football players who come to train, and who stop by to watch the padel matches because they love it. To experience that with all these players is really something exceptional. It’s easy for the fans to get a photo, or chat with the players for a while.”
A Grand Master to thank Beausoleil
The A1 Padel Tour passes through in famous towns around the world, but Beausoleil occupies a special place this year with this Grand Master, which is the biggest tournament category on the circuit. Mr Pastor describes the town as a pioneer in the construction of modern padel facilities in France:
“Beausoleil was where we created France’s first padel stadium. When we discussed it with the Prince of Monaco, we then created a tennis stadium, ATP Approved, where all the big names in world tennis, including those who live in Monaco, now have a spectacular ‘workplace’ with an indoor stadium where they can train all year round on hard courts. All of that has been made possible thanks to the Beausoleil Town Council and the efforts of Cristina Pastor, Tennis Padel Soleil’s director. Normally, I don’t let Grand Masters take place in small towns. But Beausoleil is an exception. The town has supported us from the outset and I think it’s only right to thank those who have helped us grow.”
Thanks to the vision of a passionate individual, Beausoleil has become a hub of excellence where tennis, football and padel can coexist in the same location. Mr Pastor adds with pride: “It’s a veritable sports museum with exclusive items, but above all it’s a place where the players feel at home. When Cristiano Ronaldo visits, he comes to play here. Didier Deschamps is the club’s ambassador. It’s a pretty special place, and known the world over thanks to the A1 circuit. So I felt the need to repay all of that with a Grand Master tournament.”
Plans on a par with his passion
A symbol of the meteoric rise of padel at a global level, the tournament and, more specifically, the A1 Padel Tour, are a testament to the work carried out by Fabrice Pastor and his team to make padel a major sport, despite a number of obstacles:
“We created a world circuit from scratch. Things didn’t get off to a great start on a number of points because there is an international federation president who is also vice-president and shareholder of a private circuit. From an integrity point of view, I think it’s essential to protest against this situation, which causes issues that can be detrimental to the development of the sport. It is unthinkable that we should have to accept situations like this, which run counter to the values I want to promote today and in the future. I really want to make this sport bigger than tennis in a few years. That’s my goal. I know it’s very ambitious.”
Pastor gets his entrepreneurial spirit and determination to set his sights high from one of Formula 1’s great names: “Everything I’ve been building for almost five years now, I know we’ll see in the future. It’s a dream. Like Bernie Ecclestone, a great example for me, who created Formula 1. I remember him saying that he put the crash barriers up himself with the drivers on the dirt tracks. With four drivers and three brands, he created something that has become a world-renowned sport.”
The Beausoleil Grand Master is just the start of a historic year for padel. Mr Pastor is very optimistic about the future. His ambition, supported by major partners such as Adidas and Groupe 54, echoes his dream of transforming the A1 into a major circuit at the sport’s highest level: “In all honesty, I think that in one or two years’ time, we will be the only professional circuit in the world.”
Practical details:
- When : Over 10 days, from 21 to 30 March 2025.
Where: Tennis Padel Soleil de Beausoleil – 1690 Avenue des Combattants en Afrique du N, 06240 Beausoleil.
- Prices: Free during the week. 10 euros per person for the finals at the weekend. Booking is required for each day via the online ticketing service.
Tournament programme:
Round of 32 :
- Friday 21 March: 6 matches starting at 10 am
- Saturday 22 March: 5 matches starting at 11 am
- Sunday 23 March: 5 matches starting at 11 am
Round of 16:
- Monday 24 March: 8 matches starting at 9 am
- Tuesday 25 March: 8 matches starting at 9 am
Round of 8:
- Wednesday 26 March: 4 matches starting at 11 am.
- Thursday 27 March: 4 matches starting at 11 am.
Finals:
- Friday 28 March – Quarter-finals: 4 matches starting at 11am.
- Saturday 29 March: 2 matches starting at 11 am.
- Sunday 30 March – Final: 1 match from 11 am.
