French players reach FIP Tour quarters
Three French players will contest FIP Tour quarter-finals on Saturday. Dylan Guichard at FIP Silver Porto, together with Bastien Blanqué and Arthur Hugounenq at FIP Bronze Rovato, secured their places in two very different matches and keep the French flag flying on the international padel circuit.
FIP Silver Porto: Guichard and Geens stay in control
At FIP Silver Porto, the pair of Dylan Guichard and Clément Geens confirmed their strong form. The third seeds had already made a statement in their opening match with a clear 6-0, 6-0 win. In the round of 16 they followed up against Spaniards Lucas Mañero and Samuel Rivas with another controlled display, winning 6-2, 6-3 to move through safely.
The victory may look routine at first glance, but it was built on clean tactics. Guichard and Geens gave their opponents little room for long rallies and used their FIP Tour experience to shut down sources of error early. Especially in the second set, the Frenchman and his Belgian partner Geens showed they can stay calm under pressure and convert break chances consistently.
In the quarter-finals a tougher test awaits. Eighth seeds Victor Tur and Agustin Reca had previously removed Enzo Couacaud and Roger Aromi 6-2, 6-2. That leaves the Franco-Belgian duo facing opponents who are also posting clear results and bringing confidence from the round of 16. A semi-final place in Porto would be a strong signal of Guichard and Geens’s current competitive level.
What the Porto quarter-final demands
Tur and Reca are awkward opponents who force points quickly and give little away. For Guichard and Geens that means keeping serve quality high, taking net positions early and preventing the Spaniards from finding a rhythm. Porto remains an important checkpoint on their path through the FIP Tour Silver series.
FIP Bronze Rovato: Blanqué and Hugounenq win with character
In parallel with events in Portugal, FIP Bronze Rovato followed a different script. Bastien Blanqué and Arthur Hugounenq, seeded eighth, had to fight much harder against Italians Matteo Quatrana and Matteo Greco than the Porto pair. After a convincing first set at 6-1, the match looked under control. But the hosts fought back and took the second set 6-4.
In the decider the French pair’s mental edge showed. Blanqué and Hugounenq stayed organised despite the setback, took key chances and eventually won 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. The performance underlines why three-set matches on the FIP Tour so often hinge on form and nerve. A tight but deserved ticket to the quarter-finals.
Their next opponents in Rovato are rated clearly higher. Against Jaume Romera Barcelo and Adrian Naranjo Martinez, the French face the second seeds from Spain. The clash is a genuine stress test for the tricolore pair. Anyone who wants to survive here needs precision at the net, clear communication and the ability to hold the line in difficult phases of play.
Two venues, one shared goal
What stands out this weekend is the range of French performances. In Porto, Guichard and Geens dominate with clear sets and little risk. In Rovato, Blanqué and Hugounenq grind through a tight match and prove that tough contests can still be won with character and consistency. Both paths lead to the quarter-finals and reinforce the sense of a broad French presence on the FIP Tour.
For French padel, results like these are more than isolated headlines. They show that players from the country regularly compete at international Silver and Bronze events and stay present in decisive rounds. On the FIP Tour especially, where tournaments come in quick succession, continuity and the ability to handle different match situations count heavily.
- Guichard and Geens: clear wins in Porto and a quarter-final against Tur and Reca
- Blanqué and Hugounenq: three-set win in Rovato and a quarter-final against the No. 2 seeds
- Overall picture: three French players in quarter-finals at two FIP venues
Sportingly, both pairs face different challenges. In Porto the task is to confirm dominance against a strong eighth-seeded pair. In Rovato, Blanqué and Hugounenq must show against a top seed that their three-set win was no accident. Saturday’s quarter-finals will therefore not only produce results but also clues about how durable the French duos’ current form really is.
The FIP Tour remains a central stage for rising talents and established names alike. Porto and Rovato stand for the international breadth of the series: Portugal and Italy as venues, Spanish opponents as a constant benchmark, and French players who reach the decisive rounds with clear wins or tight three-setters. For Guichard, Blanqué and Hugounenq on Saturday, one thing matters most: take the next step and seize the chance of a semi-final place.
Anyone following the development of French padel should keep these quarter-finals in view. Guichard and Geens arrive in Porto with the confidence of two clear wins. Blanqué and Hugounenq bring from Rovato proof that they can win under pressure. Two tournaments, two styles of play, one shared goal: advance on the FIP Tour and secure the next round for France.
