After finishing 2024 in apotheosis by winning the Premier Padel Barcelona Finals with Jon Sanz, Coki Nieto decided to turn the page and commit to a new project with Mike Yanguas. A difficult but necessary choice according to him, who hopes to continue to progress and achieve new heights this season. In an interview with Sport, he returned to this transition and his ambitions for the coming year.

A painful but necessary separation

The association between Coki Nieto and Jon Sanz had its ups and downs, but it ended in the most beautiful way with a consecration at the Master Final. However, the decision of separate had been taken before this tournament, which, paradoxically, allowed the two players to play more freely and express their best level.

“I have a great relationship with Jon. We shared two intense years, but we had become too angry on the court. We needed a change. After making that decision, we freed ourselves and played our best padel, which allowed us to win the title.”

An observation which has pushed Coki to look for a profile more suited to his playing style for 2025.

Mike Yanguas: the ideal partner?

In his quest for a new partner, Nieto quickly opted for Mike Yanguas, a player he considers to be one of the best right-hand players on the circuit.

“The way Mike finished last season, for me he was the third best right player. I always looked for an aggressive player, ideally a left-hander, but Mike ticks all the boxes: he attacks a lot, he's explosive and he fits my style of play well.”

The Spanish player, however, highlights a major difference between Yanguas and his ex-partner Jon Sanz:

“Jon was more emotional. When things were going well, he was on top, but as soon as things were going a little less well, he could be affected. Mike, when he is in difficulty, he fights even more, he puts rage into his game and that can really help me.”

A complementarity that could create sparks and give birth to an ultra-competitive pair in 2025.

What are your goals for the season?

Actuellement ranked as seed 4 tournaments Premier Padel, Nieto and Yanguas are expected as one of the strongest pairs on the circuit. However, Coki remains cautious and prefers not to set ranking targets:

“I never look at the standings. My goal is simple: play well, be fit, avoid injuries and win as many matches as possible. If we play well, the results will follow naturally.”

The pair will however have to face fierce competition, especially with young players who are gaining momentum.

“In this circuit, you can lose to anyone. You have to be mentally prepared to fight tough battles. If you are ready, there will be fewer surprises and you will be able to manage the competition better.”

A more aggressive game in 2025

Adapt to mike yanguas involves some adjustments for Nieto, who has always evolved with a left-hander at his side in recent years. One of his main areas of progression this season will therefore be to be more offensive :

“I worked to be more aggressive, hitting harder and putting more pressure on our opponents. But that also means taking more risks and making more mistakes. Maxi Grabiel often tells me: 'If you want to attack more, you have to accept missing more.'”

A change which he still has to mentally integrate, but who could make a difference this year.

Should the circuit evolve?

Coki Nieto gave his opinion on possible changes in the circuit Premier Padel, particularly on the diversity of playing surfaces:

“I like the idea of ​​having various surfaces, with faster tracks and slower ones. But in padel it's complicated because many factors come into play: altitude, type of balls, humidity... It would be interesting, but difficult to implement.”

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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