There are players who make history in padel, and Alejandra Salazar is undeniably one of them. With a career spanning 30 years, the Spanish player has experienced it all: titles, injuries, changes of partners and a constant evolution of her game. Even today, she remains a formidable competitor, able to compete with the new generation. In this interview, she talks about her mental work, her relationship with her teammates and his vision of padel at this stage of his career.

You seem very focused and professional on the court. Does this approach reflect your emotions during matches? How do you manage them?

Over time, we learn to manage your emotions. The main thing is not to control them at all costs, but to identify them. Sometimes we get carried away, but knowing Why an emotion arises allows you to manage it better. When they are negative, I try to let them pass as quickly as possible, and when they are positive, I try not to fall into excessive euphoria.

With experience and work, whether the result is good or bad, I try to stay neutral. The opponent must not know whether I am in difficulty or not. I always want to project a image of trust, because I firmly believe that everything can be overturned in a match. I take every situation as a challenge and stay focused on my goal.

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Mental work is now a central element of high-level sport. How do you integrate it into your preparation?

I work with a psychologist, and over the years, I have collaborated with several professionals. From each one, I have learned a lot, which has allowed me to progress as aathlete but also as no one.

This mental work is essential for me but also for my partner, because we are a team. Everything I feel or do on the court also impacts my teammate. That's why I dedicate time to this aspect so that everything works in the best possible way on the court.

In this group dynamic, do you consider helping your partner to be part of your responsibilities?

Of course! It is fundamental to understand his emotional state to be able to support her. Padel is a team sport, and if she feels good, we will be more efficient together.

Over the years, I have developed a extreme curiosity to understand the person who plays next to me. I want them to feel good, because that improves our yield. Working as a team with our coach and the psychologist also helps us to define our roles, avoiding one encroaching on the space of the other.

Does this only happen through feeling or is there real work of exchange and analysis?

There is a part ofintuition, but also a lot of communicating. During a match, it is sometimes difficult to talk about it in the heat of the moment, but we have regular sessions as a team. These moments are essential, because they allow us to better to know itself, but also to help our coaches. Coaches are not psychologists, but if they also work on this aspect, they know better how to help us in stressful situations, what instructions to give and how to motivate us.

I am convinced that the more the group functions as a unit, the more the performance improves.

Today, after an exceptional career, where do you stand between pleasure, demands and ambition?

Le Padel is my passion, I have been playing since 30 years and each season, each teammate, each staff brought me a new learning.

Over time, my game evolves. I'm not going as fast as before, I feel certain pain, but I keep finding new weapons to compensate. Playing against young people from 20 years younger pushes me to adapt, to develop other strategies, to bet on my experience and my gaming intelligence.

I proud to always be there, play against the best and fight on every point. As I am on my last years, I no longer feel the need to prove anything. I am satisfied with my career, and my main goal is to take advantage of it, while still seeking to improve myself.