On the occasion of the P1 in Madrid and the Padel Asics Summit, we had the pleasure of speaking with Alex Corretja, a former glory of Spanish tennis. Still as passionate about the little yellow ball, He has been trying padel for several years, a king sport in Spain. In the course of a few questions, he gives us his feelings on this discipline, his career memories and his eternal love for tennis.

In padel, we always have the feeling of progressing

Franck Binisti:
We have recently seen videos circulating where you were playing with Fernando Belasteguín, the padel legend. Some people wonder if you are considering a professional career in padel, what do you think?

Alex Corretja:
(Laughs) No, not at all. After my tennis career, I played a little padel for fun, but only for a while. It's a different sport. When you've played tennis, it's easier to approach padel, but that doesn't mean you're going to play well. To become a good player, you have to dedicate a lot of hours of training.

Franck Binisti:
You were saying earlier that to reach a milestone, you have to invest yourself fully. We remember Juan Carlos Ferrero who had attempted a few qualifications on the World Padel Tour, without success, even though he played very well. Carlos Moya is also an excellent padel player. It is clear that the Spanish have this sport in their blood. Does the idea of ​​participating in competitions tempt you?

Alex Corretja:
No, I don't think so. Today I'm 50 years old, and even though I'm in good shape, young players are faster, stronger, and they anticipate better. I had a period where I played a lot, but after stopping tennis because of a shoulder problem, I played padel just for fun. It's a fun sport, and the interesting thing is that you always have the feeling of being able to improve, whereas in tennis there is sometimes a glass ceiling.

Tennis, my first love

Franck Binisti:
If you could start all over again today, with the incredible rise of padel, what would you choose: tennis or padel?

Alex Corretja:
Ah, that's a difficult question! (Laughs) I love padel, but tennis is my first love. It's a passion that will never disappear.

Franck Binisti:
So, tennis remains your eternal love?

Alex Corretja:
Exactly. Tennis is in my heart and I want to play it all my life. Padel is a beautiful sport, but for me, tennis is more complete.

Alex Corretja
Alex Corretja
Alex Corretja

Mentally, tennis is harder

Franck Binisti:
Who knows, maybe in 100 years, padel will also have made history!

Alex Corretja:
It's possible, but I think tennis is still a more demanding sport, especially mentally. In padel, you play as a team, but in tennis, you're alone on the court, and that's a big difference. Padel is very enjoyable, but mentally, tennis is harder.

Franck Binisti:
Some tennis players, like Gaël Monfils, have explained that they use padel to complement their tennis training, especially for volleying. Has padel helped you in your career?

Alex Corretja:
Above all, it's a good way to get a change of scenery and have fun. As for technique, it's not really comparable. For example, in padel, volleys are played differently than in tennis, and it can even be a bit dangerous if you try to apply the same movements in both sports.

Gaël Monfils: “Padel trains the volley for tennis”

No coach on the court in tennis: its specificity compared to padel

Franck Binisti:
You mean it could harm tennis technique?

Alex Corretja:
No, not necessarily. When you go back on a tennis court, you know exactly what you have to do. But padel is more relaxed, more fun. That's why I play it, for fun.

asics padel
Alex Corretja
asics padel tracks

Franck Binisti:
Did you miss playing as part of a team in padel, having been a singles tennis player for a long time?

Alex Corretja:
Yes, playing doubles, whether in tennis or padel, is always more relaxed. In singles, you are alone, you have to manage everything yourself. That's what makes tennis more mentally demanding. But in padel, having a teammate changes the dynamic, it's more friendly.

Alex Corretja padel magazine franck binisti steph penso

Franck Binisti:
In padel, players can receive advice from their coach during the match, which is not the case in tennis. Do you think it would be a good thing to have a coach during tennis matches?

Alex Corretja:
I think it's good that tennis keeps this specificity. It's what makes the sport unique, even if the rules have been relaxed, especially in the Davis Cup. It's important that the player is alone on the court to make his decisions.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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