The Argentinian indulges in Felipe, from the chain ENERGY Padel, in an intimate conversation where he discusses his personal life: his relationship with his partner, the essential role of his family, his passion for football and his bond with his coach. The opportunity to discover the man behind one of the best professional padel players.

Family life

His relationship with Sofia, his partner

"With Sofia, we've been together for almost 4 years. She came along at a complicated time in my life, and I'm very grateful to her. She's a great girl, who understands very well what it means to be an athlete. I've always said that it's not easy to be in a relationship with an athlete who travels so much, who sometimes comes back in a bad mood after a defeat... It's not easy, because you depend a lot on the results. But she understands it very well. She also played sports at a high level, she played basketball and even had a sports scholarship. So, she knows what it's like to be an athlete, and for me, that's a huge plus.”

His parents: unconditional support

Professional athletes often have to make significant sacrifices to reach the highest level, sometimes involving geographical distance from loved ones or considerable financial outlay.

“What I always give back to them is every day, every day. I come to train, I give everything, I go to competitions, I give everything. And I've always said it: sometimes I think I play because I really love the sport, but above all I play for them, for their pride, for all the effort they've made. And I think that's what's good, it motivates me every day.”

Support that remains essential in the life of Stupa.

“For me, I always say they're my heroes. They always told me to keep trying, to give it my all, to be passionate. But passionate about sports, eh! Maybe a little less so about affection and all that, which you have to put aside a little. That's something my girlfriend also says to me: "You're very cold." And I say to her: "But how do you think I grew up?" I learned to be like a kind of rock, to not let myself be affected."

His personality and his relationship with those close to him

The interviewer Felipe evokes this apparent coldness mentioned by Stupa. However, on the field, especially this season alongside Juan Lebrón, he is expressive, known for his intensity and energy in matches. Stupa then shares his vision of relationships with those close to him.

“Ultimately, I have a lot of friends, but the distance makes me seem cold. But when we're together, we're really connected 100%. That happens to me with a lot of friends. But I'm not the type to be affectionate all the time, to write every day. No, if we see each other, we have a great time, but otherwise, I don't want to be too intrusive.”

A rather reserved personality at first glance, according to him, and little concerned by public opinion:

“I like to displease people who don't know me. If someone doesn't know me and doesn't like me, I don't care. What matters to me is being comfortable with my loved ones.”

Happiness and passion

What does Stupa need to be happy?

“Actually, I'm already happy. I'm doing the job I love, I'm giving it my all, I'm happy with my girlfriend... The only thing I miss is my family, because they're far away. I'd be even happier if I could see them more often. But I'm living my dream, so yes, I'm happy. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but I am.”

Native Chaco, in Argentina, Stupa is a simple man, attached to the small pleasures of life. When Felipe Ask him what he would do for a day, he replies:

“Many people think a Ferrari makes you happy, but I believe it’s those little moments that matter. Another example: coming home from a tournament and drinking a mate on my couch while watching a movie or series. Or going to the countryside to fish with my friends and my dad. That would be great!”

His favorite food outside of the strict diets of elite players

"With Carlos (Pozzoni), we often joke about it. He only posts photos from the gym, but in reality, he eats more than me! (laughs) He taught me how to eat well, it's true. But as soon as we have a special occasion, like a birthday, we always go to a meat restaurant. We eat morcilla, mollejas… Very Argentinian!”

Passion and connection with other athletes

Passionate about football, Stupa has always had an idol in this sport:

"Ronaldinho ! I love football and I was always impressed by what he did on the pitch.”

With the rise in popularity of padel, more and more athletes from other disciplines are becoming interested in it, especially footballers.

“Yes, we are lucky. For example, in the club where we are at the moment, there is Ezequiel Garay. "

A strong bond was created with the former Argentinian defender:

“Ezequiel is someone special. He has invested a lot in padel. We train in incredible facilities thanks to him. And then we became friends even before he opened his club. It all started with a few messages on Instagram, then he came to watch a tournament, I think it was the Madrid Master, which we actually won. He took a picture with the trophy and I gave him a racket. We hit it off right away.”

But the person he admires most remains a legend of another racket sport:

"Rafa Nadal, without hesitation. Today, I am an ambassador of the Rafael Nadal Academy, and I'm very grateful to him. What he did for tennis is incredible. He paved the way, and we're trying to do the same for padel. In addition, Rafa, Maribel and their entire team are exceptional people, they always welcomed me very well. Then, obviously, there is also Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, athletes who have dominated their sport for years. They are admirable people.”

Franco Stupaczuk new ambassador of the Rafa Nadal academy

But his true love remains padel:

“Padel is my job, so I don't consider it a hobby anymore. But yes, I still love playing. What I don't like is everything that goes with it: warming up, having to eat without being hungry to perform well, waiting for my match... If I could, I would play 4 or 5 matches in a row in a tournament!”

The relationship with his coach: Carlos Pozzoni

Pozzoni Stupa Di Nenno Mendoza 2023 bench smiles

Coach of the pair Stupa / Lebron, Pozzoni suit Stupa for many years, having accompanied him throughout his professional career, notably during his time in the famous team “The Superpibes” with Martín Di Nenno.

"For me, Carlos is more than a coach, he was like a father. I lived in Spain far from my family, and he always helped me. I've been with him since I was 20, and he must be 47 or 48 now. With all the players he coached, he always knew how to read the matches and understand the key moments.”

Nicolas Fillaudeau

A big sports enthusiast and former tennis player, I discovered padel a few years ago without really focusing on it. Then I became addicted to this sport by practicing it and watching the premier padel matches. Looking forward to sharing the 2025 news with you!

On the same subject

Tags