Present at  Tennis Padel Soleil  as part of the Pro-Am which included players from World Padel Tour, the tennis player  David Ferrer  feasted!

The former professional tennis player  David Ferrer  participated in recent days in Pro-Am which took place at Tennis Padel Soleil. While he had managed to reach the final, with the player from World Padel Tour Juan-Manuel Restivo, the former number 3 at ATP could not dispute it. He has all the same  took the time to answer questions from Franck Binisti and Oscar Solé .

Are we leaving tennis for padel?

I don't really know, of course my sport is tennis, I love playing tennis. For me padel is a "hobby", I have fun, that's what matters to me. When my schedule allows it, I take the opportunity to play a little padel.

Did you play padel before playing tennis?

No no, when I started playing tennis, padel didn't exist! (Laughter)

What is the difference in mindset between padel and tennis?

It's different, for me padel has more of a social dimension, maybe because it's a more accessible sport. In tennis you have to start as a child, if you start later it's difficult. In padel, you can start at 14-15 years old, and play at a good level. I think people have more fun in padel because it's less demanding.

Offering padel to train tennis players to volley, good idea?

No, they are two very different sports. You can't train for tennis while playing padel. For professional tennis players, padel is good for having fun and practicing another activity, to clear your mind a little.

It's been a year since you retired from tennis, what are you doing now?

I am still in the world of tennis, I am the coach of Alexander Zverev, director of the Barcelona Open Bank Sabadell tennis tournament, and I am very happy with this new life, I do different things, it is a new stage in as a coach, and I'm happy to learn new things.

You played (and lost) the last game of your career against Alexander Zverev

We already knew each other, he is much younger than me, we had already discussed before, we had a very good relationship. In recent months, with the Covid issues, he called me to try to train with me, he came two weeks, it all finally came to fruition and we have already started working together.

Are you going to stay here in Monaco?

I've been here for two weeks, I'm staying until Friday, then Alexander goes on the American tour, and I'll start traveling with him from Rome, the European tour.

What are the difficulties for you when playing padel?

It's a different sport. Of course, being a tennis player you can play quite a bit, but at the level of Juan or Fede, players who are at the top, it's very hard to keep up. But hey, I had the opportunity to play with them and it went really well, so you just have to thank them for that.

What do you think about the evolution of padel?

I think that padel is growing, there are more and more followers, and it is a very social sport, very fun. Among professionals the level is increasing, more and more people are on television, there are matches on Gol TV. I think it is a good thing that padel has visibility to attract more sponsors and continue to grow, so that young players like those here can live the future serenely.

Will we ever see David Ferrer in a professional tournament?

As a spectator yes (Laughs). But as a player, no, I don't have the level, and in any case I have too much work to get into it. But I love watching padel, getting to know the players, they are very good moments. I really enjoy playing padel, when I am in Valencia, I always play with friends, and I really like it. 

 

What advice would you give to young players?

I think it's like everything in life, to be one of the best in a field, you have to sacrifice a lot, work hard, but also work smart, and love what you do. Those who don't like their job, or who don't enjoy training, will have a lot more difficulty getting to the top. My advice is: if you really like it, you have to try, accept that there are bad days, and always give your best.

 

 

 

 

 

Xan is a fan of padel. But also of rugby! And his posts are just as punchy. Physical trainer of several padel players, he finds atypical posts or deals with current topics. He also gives you some advice to develop your physique for padel. Clearly, he imposes his offensive style as on the padel court!

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