Carolina Navarro  argued at  Malaga  the most symbolic tournament of his career.  49 years , the former world number 1 is preparing to hang up her pala at the end of the season. But it was in her hometown, surrounded by her loved ones and her fans, that she experienced her  real emotional farewell A final dance she will never forget. In an interview with SPORT, she opened up about this special moment.

“The standing ovation I received, the people in tears, my parents on the front lines… it was incredible,” she says. “What I’ve built is beautiful, but what I remember most is that I remained the person I’ve always been.”

 A pioneer of women's padel 

Professional for decades,  Navarro made history  padel. World number 1 during  nine years , it has crossed all eras: from  wooden palas  to the full stadiums of  Premier Padel , she witnessed the meteoric rise of her sport.

“What surprised me most was the explosion of padel in the last two years. We're playing at Roland Garros, the Foro Italico, in iconic places... it's happened very quickly!”

He remains admiring of the rise of padel internationally: “It was the weak point of the sport, today it is everywhere: in Egypt, Jakarta, South Africa, Norway… and that makes me happy.”

 A padel that changes, not always for the better 

Carolina is not necessarily a fan of all changes, especially those related to the  rapid rotation of pairs  “I'm very traditional. I like long projects and fighting to make a team work. Today, you can't trust anyone; partners change too quickly.”

She also regrets the fact that the  pressure and financial stakes  can sometimes harm the essence of the game. But she recognizes that young people arrive better prepared than ever, with psychologists, nutritionists, physical trainers, and a much more professional approach.

 A career in padel 

If she hangs up soon,  Carolina does not leave padel She joined the team of  Joma  to develop the brand internationally. It also plans to  create your own academy , with a personal methodology, for amateurs and professionals.

And why not a coaching role on the circuit? “Why not, I love teaching and coaching. I'd have to think about it, because there's a lot of traveling, and that's one of the reasons I'm stopping.” She was recently seen coaching the Swedish team.

 Still in shape at 49 

His secret? “Passion, desire, and above all, taking good care of yourself: rest, nutrition, training… I’m going to continue playing, sparring, and coaching. I love it.”

No beer, no soda. Just a good glass of red wine from time to time, and fried eggs with fries, her favorite dish. And she will continue to share her  technical advice on social networks , as she has been doing for years.

“What I've experienced is priceless. I've seen padel evolve from the inside out. And even if I haven't won as much as today's players, what I've built as a person is much more precious.”

 Carolina Navarro  leaves through the front door, respected, applauded, and ready to pass on her passion to the next generation.  legend vivante  of Spanish padel.

Benjamin Dupouy

I discovered padel directly during a tournament, and frankly, I didn't really like it at first. But the second time, it was love at first sight, and since then, I haven't missed a single match. I'm even ready to stay up until 3am to watch a final of Premier Padel !

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