Frame Cassetta, 100th player in the world, is an Italian international from padel and very recently titled at FIP Rise Bandol alongsideAlvaro Montiel. Today a key player on the FIP circuit, his history with the padel doesn't go back that long... Unlike many Spaniards or Argentines, he discovers the padel late and looks at it in the complicated period of Covid.

At the microphone Padel Magazine, Marco Cassetta looks back on his beginnings in the padel, on his status as a professional player and on his ambitions for the future.

His eventful beginnings in the padel

I come from tennis but I discovered the padel in 2017. . This was thanks to a friend who is like a second father to me, who is a very important tennis master in Italy, especially in Turin, where I was born and where I currently live.

I started playing exclusively padel in 2018 because I never dreamed of competing internationally in tennis. A month after my debut at padel, I was contacted to be part of Italian youth training, because I was under 18 at the time (laughs). We found ourselves at the Worlds where there were players like Wallas an Garrido. During this event, I said to myself: “I want to do this“. It motivated me enormously.

Unfortunately, there was Covid and I also ruptured the anterior cruciate ligaments in my knee. It was complicated for six months but I came back and I did everything to become a professional. It's been three years now that I've been playing – at least I've been trying – professionally to always believe a little more in myself.

My goal is to go as far as possible.

Marco Cassetta FIP Rise Bandol

A work of passion

I am fortunate to be able to say that the padel is my job. I consider that I really have incredible luck because getting up in the morning to go train is great. I know it's a lot of sacrifice, but for me, it's not a sacrifice because I find it a unique joy to play padel.

For me, it's important to do all the right things and give everything on the track, in training... even in nutrition and rest!

A career as a professional athlete: sacrifices that are not sacrifices

We find negative things. For example, you can't go out with your friends every evening or every Friday. If your best friend is celebrating their birthday but you can't be there because you're somewhere else. It's for me the difficult part because you want to be there, to go on vacation with them, with your family, but you can't.

More I'm so lucky. I have an amazing family, awesome friends who always follow me and support me. They know what I do, that it’s “normal” work.

Afterwards, the other sacrifices like getting up in the morning to go train, doing that all day, being forced to eat well, I don't see them as sacrifices. I like.

Marco Cassetta FIP Rise Bandol

Being Italian: a chance for sponsorship

For sponsorship, it is better to be among the best Italian, French or Swiss players for example, rather than Spanish or Argentinian. I'm lucky to be Italian. Besides, I thank the sponsors for helping me to make padel my work.

Plus, it gives me extra motivation. I always want to do well for my country. It is not entirely a land of padel even if the level increases drastically. We have a great national team which played very well during the European Championships. Now we hope to have a good result at the Worlds!

Gwenaelle Souyri

It was his brother who one day told him to accompany him on a track. padel, since then, Gwenaëlle has never left the court. Except when it comes to going to watch the broadcast of Padel Magazine, World Padel Tour… or Premier Padel…or the French Championships. In short, she is a fan of this sport.

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