Bela and Sanyo: "We always wanted to play together"

Fernando Belasteguin et sanyo gutierrez will evolve together on the World Padel Tour next season. Argentines confide in a double interview for Trademarks, on this new union and on their objectives.

Bela: “It was inevitable to look for a right-wing player”

Why did you choose yourself?

White : “I was clear with Tapia that we were two players on the left, and after playing the eighth in Sardinia we had to look for partners on the right. It was inevitable to look for a right-wing player, and my first choice was Sanyo, who I consider to be the best on the circuit at this position. "

Sanyo: "We always talked about it in previous years, and we have always had a similar view of the padel, even though we had never gotten together. I got his call and he told me that together we could be very strong. Our union has always been something we had on hold, so I didn't really hesitate when he called me. There were other options, but this was the one that convinced me the most. ”

Fernando, did you have trouble adjusting to the right?

White: “After 26 years of playing on the left, I dared to change, but everything went very quickly. In 2019 we won the second tournament we played together and finished year number 4… and in 2020 we ended up being the second pair in the world. We both know we have benefited. ”

Sanyo: “Stupa doesn't see this sport like me”

What are Sanyo's reasons for not continuing with Stupaczuk?

Sanyo : “I think in the end we do not see this sport in the same way, our playing styles are different. We have struggled this year to play well, we were always on the verge of doing things well but we could have done better. But we could have done a lot worse because we suffered against many pairs. We were not a strong pair and I don't particularly like it. He's young and he's going to grow up, but I don't have many years left and I have to take advantage of it. "

In view of the evolution of padel, what arguments can you have in the battle for number 1?

Sanyo: “In general, I find that the new generations are young people trained exclusively in the practice of padel. We veterans have been trained by playing other sports, we have become complete and coordinated profiles. Lebrón and Galán in particular will clearly mark a new way of playing, and the padel will move towards quick matches. We are going to be an “all-terrain pair” which can adapt to all surfaces, even if a slower surface is beneficial to us. They play well on all surfaces, that's true. ”

Reinvent yourself to win

Will you have to reinvent yourself in some way?

White: “Yeah, and I think everyone, not just us. Reinventing yourself is the very essence of life, improving yourself every day, and with the competitive mentality you can be better. ”

Bela, you said you didn't choose Sanyo before because you weren't feeling well physically. What has changed now?

White: “When we spoke at the end of 2019, I told him that I couldn't make a commitment to play on the backhand side this year, and that with another partner who was physically good, he could aim for the number 1 spot. During confinement, everything changed. Locked in the house, I worked my tendon day and night, and it made me gain confidence and finally it recovered 100%. When I returned to the reverse side with Tapia, I saw that I could compete with everyone."

In Argentina and on the circuit, there has always been a lot of expectation and desire to see you together. Did you have them too?

White"Yes, it's very beautiful that at 42 I have the chance to play with someone like Sanyo, and the commitment and the responsibility are great. I'm going to have to live up to the expectations, and I think I will be under a lot of pressure. To do this, I will train very hard, physically, tactically and mentally, and I think that in 2021 I will give an extra extra. ”

Sanyo"Many players have encouraged me to join Bela, I imagine Bela too, and I think things happen when they have to happen. People feel the feeling in our game and see that we understand the padel in the same way."

Bela the rock, Sanyo the magician

What can you bring to each other?

White: “Me solidity, above all, and will bring him magic, the spectacular points. I think I have always brought strength to my partners, and they have always brought me different things. ”

Sanyo: "I am looking for security at Bela and an experience that allows me to play as freely as possible. In my previous projects, I was the one who wore the Captain's bracelet a bit. I think he can take over the game by playing with me. ”

What can be the most decisive in the padel of today, experience or youth?

White: “The older ones have to do a lot of physical work, and the younger ones have to gain strength. I think to be competitive you have to be very demanding physically, technically and tactically, and if you fail in any of those areas it shows on the court. ”

How are you going to organize your training?

Sanyo: “We organized almost everything, with the chance to have direct flights Valladolid-Barcelona and at the beginning we will each go once a week to the other's town. When I go to Barcelona we will train with Sciorilli, and when Bela comes to Valladolid, we will train with Gilardoni. "

Number 1 or nothing

Do you have clear goals for 2021?

White: “People will expect us to be the number one, the best. We have more than ever made the commitment to work and it is clear that if we do, we can aspire to anything. ”

Sanyo"When the physique allows it and so does my head, I think that with any player who joins me, I like to fight for the number 1. After it is possible that we will not make it, but with Bela we think very similarly, and he's always been at the top. When you're not at the top, you want to come back, because you get used to winning quickly. ”

Will there be some pressure to dream big?

White :“I hope that until the last day of my career I will have this pressure, it would mean that I will continue to be competitive.”

Sanyo: “I've always thought of reaching the top, of improving myself day by day, and I think thanks to Bela's CV, it is not even necessary to ask him if he is thinking of reaching the top with me. At each tournament, I pack the bag to go home on Sunday, and it will stay that way."

Stéphane Penso

Fan of padel, Stéphane has become the official tester of the planet padel in Europe. Everything goes through his expert hands. Thanks to his extensive experience in the snowshoeing world, he is able to scan your gear from head to toe!