Clément Geens’ FIP Silver Palermo title is more than just another line on his resume. Partnering with Dylan Guichard, the Belgian won the FIP Silver Mediolanum Padel Cup Palermo by defeating top seed Antonio “Pincho” Fernandez and Adrián Marqués in the final, 6-3, 7-6. But behind the trophy lies a sweltering week, tricky matches, meals with future opponents… and a return home that was almost down to the minute.
The FIP confirmed their run: a victory in the quarterfinals against Juan Zamora and Luis Oliver Artigas, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, followed by a win in the semifinal against Nathan Courrin and Thomas Seux, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. It was a week of hard-fought matches, culminating in a controlled victory in the final. As for Clément Geens, what stands out most to him is the duo’s ability to adapt.
A FIP Silver title, but it wasn’t easy
Padel News: What stands out most to you about this victory in Palermo?
We’re really happy to have won the FIP Silver. It’s still a lot of points. The conditions were tough—it was hot, and there were a lot of errors—so it was a tough match.
This sentence captures the context well. In Palermo, Geens and Guichard didn’t just go through the motions in a run-of-the-mill tournament. They had to cope with the heat, a court that allowed for a lot of wide shots, and opponents capable of pushing them into less comfortable situations. Under these conditions, winning in straight sets against the tournament favourites gives the result even more weight.
After the match, Geens had already told the FIP how pleased he was to have won his second title of the year with Guichard—his first in the Silver category. The rest of his message echoed this sentiment: the matches were tough, but they found solutions at just the right moment.
Dinner with the opponents and exploring Palermo
Padel News: You also mentioned a story about your opponents…
Yes, we went out to dinner that evening with our opponents from the semifinal. It’s always a bit strange to spend time with friends who are also your opponents.
The scene perfectly recapitulates the atmosphere of the FIP circuit: a lot of camaraderie off the court, then fierce rivalry once the match begins. Facing Courrin and Seux, whom Geens knows well, the line between friendship and competition inevitably becomes much thinner. The next day, there’s no more sharing meals: it’s time to defend, counter, choose the right diagonal shot, and embrace the challenge.
Padel News: Was this your first time in Palermo, too?
It was my first time in Palermo, so I was really happy to have had the chance to explore the island. We toured the whole island by bike or electric scooter—it was fun.
Quick Return Before Porto
Perhaps the most significant breakthrough comes after the title. There’s no real break—barely enough time to settle in.
Padel News: After such a week of intense padel, have you had a chance to catch your breath?
My flight home was four hours late. I teach on Monday evenings, so I got back just in time to arrive, teach my class, do a load of laundry, and today I’m already on the plane since we’re playing tomorrow in Porto, Portugal.
After London and then Palermo, Clément Geens strings together FIP tournaments at a steady tempo. This is also the reality of top-level competition away from the floodlights: traveling, coaching, getting back into the swing of things, and then hitting the road again. Geens and Guichard are now heading to the FIP Platinum in Porto with a modest but clear goal: to advance one round, continue building confidence, and confirm that this return as a team—after a month-long hiatus in their partnership—is more than just a flash in the pan.
