Justine Lespes climbed to the 43rd spot in the French padel rankings just over a year after picking up the sport following a four-year stint in American collegiate tennis, padel-magazine.es reported. The 27-year-old native of the Arcachon basin transitioned to padel after experiencing tennis burnout upon returning to France in the spring of 2025.
From Arcachon to Kansas Courts
Before discovering padel, Lespes spent years competing in tennis, ultimately reaching a -4/6 ranking. That high level of play earned her an opportunity in American collegiate tennis, following a path taken by several players now competing on the French padel circuit, including Clément Filho and Nicolas Rouanet. Her move across the Atlantic was initially delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Wanting to play competitive tournaments in France for a year before moving, Lespes ultimately decided to spend a semester in Kansas starting in January 2021 to see if she liked the experience. She ended up staying through May 2025, spending more than four years in the United States.
The daily rhythm in Kansas proved demanding. Lespes practiced tennis for two to two-and-a-half hours every day, adding strength training two or three times a week. Winter weather in Kansas occasionally forced the team indoors or into alternative activities such as swimming when outdoor courts were blanketed in snow. More importantly, university competition instilled a team-first mindset that she later rediscovered when she picked up padel.
A Casual Discovery of Padel
Returning to France in the spring of 2025, Lespes felt ready for a change after devoting more than two decades to tennis. Her brother, already an active padel player, urged her to try the sport. Although she initially felt no attraction to padel because her heart remained with tennis, she began playing in the summer of 2025 across clubs near the Arcachon basin to escape her tennis burnout. To her surprise, padel offered the same collaborative team dynamic she valued during her college years in the United States. While her tennis background helped her transition quickly to the net, learning to play off the glass walls and mastering tactical patterns took considerably more time.
Climbing From 300 to 43 in France
Backed by her previous tennis classification, Lespes entered the French padel rankings with an assimilated position of No. 300. She soon realized the competitive gap separating her from players with established padel experience. To bridge that gap, she attended summer training camps at Padel Tactil, increased her match volume, and worked alongside her brother. Local club players Théo Larue and Hugo Girard also provided crucial guidance during her learning curve. In just over a year, Lespes advanced from No. 300 to No. 43 in France, despite lacking a fixed daily training schedule.
Tactical Adjustments and Future Ambitions
Despite her swift rise, Lespes recognizes clear areas for improvement. Coming from tennis, she frequently attempts to rush rallies, whereas padel demands greater patience, disciplined defense, and careful management of the glass walls. She also aims to enhance her physical conditioning and regular training habits to challenge top-tier opponents. Watching players like those at the Estrellas de Padel provided a clear technical benchmark, particularly regarding delicate hand skills built on tennis experience. Having established padel as her second sporting career, Lespes now targets a spot among the top 20 players in France.
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