At only 18 years, Claudia Fernández, currently ranked 3rd in the world, is a rising star in paddle. In an interview with El Mundo, the Madrid player talks about her daily life as an athlete, her ambitions and the financial challenges that come with this sport.

A rapid but demanding ascent

Claudia talks about how her life has changed since joining the world's elite: "Everything happened very quickly, I experienced things I never would have imagined." She admits that the many trips around the world are not always easy to manage, especially at her young age. "At the beginning, my mother often accompanied me to tournaments. His presence helped me stay calm in these moments when everything is new."

This season, Claudia has chosen to team up with Bea González, after a successful 2024 with Gemma Triay. This change of partner, common in the paddle, is for her a simple reality of the job: "We often change partners. It's not a question of friendship, but of work. So much the better if we get along well, but the objective remains to perform."

Gender inequalities still present

As in many sports, the women's padel faces disparities, particularly in the earnings players. If the bonuses of the tournaments Men and women are now equal on the circuit Premier Padel, sponsoring remains a problem. "Brands support men more because they attract more visibility. Their game is often considered more spectacular, while ours is more technical."

Claudia also points out that a male player ranked in the qualifications can sometimes win more than a female player Top 10 thanks to its partnerships. A reality that is difficult to accept: "We work as much as they do and we spend as much, but the opportunities are not the same."

The cost of a player's career

Claudia also explains the financial burden of a career in the paddle. "Until I was 16, my parents had to pay everything for me. Today, the tournaments cover some expenses like hotel or meals, but not plane or train tickets. If you are not in the Top 10, living from this sport is complicated.

With the expansion of the personalised tour Globally, costs have increased. “Before, we played a lot in Spain, it was more affordable. Now, we travel to South America, Asia… and it becomes a real challenge.”

A clear objective

Despite the obstacles, Claudia keeps a cool head and focuses on her objectives:. "I want to continue to progress and, why not, one day aim for the place of Volume 1. For now, I'm staying focused on my work and doing everything I can to give the best of myself."

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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