FIP Tour: Blanqué out, Sireix into semi-finals
Over the past weekend, French padel players followed two clearly different paths on the FIP Tour. While the last French men were eliminated in the quarter-finals at the FIP Silver in Koksijde, Belgium, Camille Sireix advanced to the semi-finals at the FIP Bronze in Georgia alongside Tess De Vocht with another commanding performance. The contrast between a fiercely contested men's event on the North Sea coast and a dominant run in the women's draw shaped the Tricolore's weekend.
Mixed results for France
The FIP Tour forms the international tournament system of the International Padel Federation and divides competitions into categories such as Bronze, Silver and Gold. For French players, these events are central stages for collecting ranking points, gaining experience at the highest level and testing themselves against international top pairs. The weekend of 12 July 2026 once again showed how tight the elite of world padel is and how differently individual tournament runs can unfold.
In Koksijde, a traditional padel region on the Belgian coast, the FIP Silver took place. Several French pairs were represented in the men's draw, but with the elimination of Bastien Blanqué and Maxime Joris in the quarter-finals, French presence in the men's main draw came to an end. In the women's field, Camille Sireix together with Tess De Vocht delivered further confirmation of their form and status as top favourites at the FIP Bronze in Georgia.
Blanqué and Joris fall short in Koksijde
Quarter-final against the top seeds
Bastien Blanqué and Maxime Joris were the last remaining French players in the men's draw at the FIP Silver Koksijde. After two demanding matches in the early rounds, the biggest hurdle awaited in the quarter-finals: top seeds Juanlu Esbrí and Pablo García of Spain. Against a pair of that calibre, Blanqué and Joris needed their best padel from the outset to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
The first set developed into a tight duel on equal terms. The French pair stayed with the favourites for a long time and showed composure and tactical discipline in extended rallies. Only in the tie-break did the match swing in favour of the Spaniards, who displayed slightly more calm and precision in the decisive moments at the net and off the glass. Although Blanqué and Joris lost the opening set 7-6, they proved they can compete at this level.
Momentum shifted clearly in the second set. Esbrí and García raised their tempo, applied constant pressure on the return and used their experience in key phases. Blanqué and Joris found no answer to the aggressive style of the top seeds and were beaten 6-0. The final score of 7-6, 6-0 reflects the gap between a hard-fought start and a clearly dominated closing set.
From a sporting perspective, the defeat was understandable given the status of their opponents. Still, the first set remains a positive signal: Blanqué and Joris showed they can remain competitive over extended phases even against world-class pairs. Their tournament path, with two previously hard-won matches, also underlined consistent performances across several rounds.
What the exit means for the men
For French men's padel, the FIP Silver in Koksijde ends without a representative in the semi-finals. At the same time, the result provides valuable insight: Blanqué and Joris belong to the pairs who regularly reach the decisive stages in Silver events, but still lack the final step against absolute top favourites. The close first set against Esbrí and García could serve as a building block for future meetings at higher tournament levels.
Sireix and De Vocht dominate in Georgia
Convincing quarter-final victory
While the men had to bow out in Belgium, everything went according to plan for Camille Sireix and Tess De Vocht at the FIP Bronze in Georgia. As top seeds, the Franco-Dutch pair carried expectations with authority. After a convincing opening win, they dominated Gimena Sol Perez and Alina Povidalo in the quarter-finals 6-4, 6-1 and confirmed their favourite status.
Especially in the second set, Sireix and De Vocht left little doubt about their superiority. Sireix has become one of the defining figures in French women's padel in recent months, while De Vocht complements the team with her playing strength. Together they look defensively stable and offensively versatile – a combination that has worked without notable difficulties in Georgia so far.
Semi-final against Sluzhiteleva and Kucheriavaia
In the semi-finals, Sireix and De Vocht face Nika Sluzhiteleva and Daria Kucheriavaia. On paper, much again speaks for the top seeds, who have marched through the tournament in Georgia without serious pressure so far. Neither in the opening round nor in the quarter-finals has the pair come under notable pressure, which points to high consistency and a clear tournament strategy.
For Sireix and De Vocht, the focus now is on maintaining the form they have built and carrying the momentum from their wins into the next round. A final at the FIP Bronze would not only be another title highlight, but also a clear signal to the French padel scene. While Blanqué and Joris look back on a respectable run from Koksijde, the women's scene now turns its attention to the semi-final in Georgia.
