Esther Lasheras is one of the champions of padel global. Today in Monaco, she tells us about her career and her future where we learn many things including the fact that she will do tournaments. padel French alongside ...

Hello Esther Lasheras (Zaragoza, 1983), tell us about your arrival at the club Padel Sun.

Hello, first of all, nice to talk with Padel Magazine !

Nothing escapes you, I have been living in Monaco since January 3, 2017.

For those who do not know the club of Padel Sun, it is located at the gates of Monaco, and is equipped with 4 courts, a gymnasium and changing rooms as well as a cafeteria-restaurant.

Why are you leaving Madrid, a stronghold of padel?

I made this decision because since September, my fiancé Queco Catalán, works here in collaboration with Montecarlo International Sports. For me, it was first about finishing my season in Spain, and if everything went well, to follow Queco after the end of the year holidays.

I would like to thank MonteCarlo International Sports for its involvement in the padel, both in France and internationally via the Fabrice Pastor Cup which is played in South America (Arg. Bra. Chi). MonteCarlo International Sports supports many professional players from padel and that's a very good thing for the padel in general.

Some observers have been surprised by this decision, you are part of the top female 40 Wpt and we even see that some of our top French are the opposite way ...

Since 2010, I have been working on the Wpt circuit and I have always managed to keep myself in the top 40. Certainly I finished this season at my lowest ranking but for me 2016 was a great learning phase: that of staying present and to fight although the results did not follow. Recognize that in recent years, the level of play of padel female has evolved enormously and that the competition is more and more fierce.

Do you get to Padel Sun with a specific mission? Since January, has this club simply become your training base?

In principle, I'm on Queco's footsteps, nothing more, anyway, everything is there to train well here: impeccable facilities, the presence of top French players and an outstanding physical trainer like Yann Le Jeune. So I think I can maintain a good level of training and start working, since the padel is booming in France.

Moreover, on the international scene, there is a certain effervescence: players, coaches, clubs, it's a whole sector that seems in full swing.

Yes the padel is developing, and the expansion is especially notable in Europe.

It is very important to integrate new nations into the community of padel international. Little by little, sport and the public are growing thanks to new infrastructures and to this global dynamic that has been observed for a few years.

If you had to convince one of your contacts to try the international experience, what argument (s) would you use?

I will tell them that personally and sportingly, now is the right time. On the contrary, there is a lot to do outside of Spain. Countries are equipping themselves with padel, we see more and more non-Spanish speaking players taking their first steps on the professional circuit of padel.

Le padel is changing and soon the padel will be much more international than it is now.

We are in a period where in addition to making people discover padel, we are developing it thanks to our achievements in Spain.

What are your sport goals for the 2017-2018 season? Are you going to align with the WPT?
Will we have the chance to see you evolve on FFT tournaments?

My main plan is to train thoroughly, as 2016, it has not always been possible, and why not play the WPT; but since Monaco, it looks financially difficult.

For French tournaments, I have just obtained my FFT license and I intend to play as many tournaments as possible… I will also play in Mougins with Virginie Pironneau, a reference from the padel French feminine.

Have you had the time to form links with some of the tricolor players present in the South East of the country?

I met a few: Jérémy Scatena, Max Moreau, Jeremy Ritz, Laurent Bensadoun and Virginnie Pironneau. I had more contact with Moreau and Scatena, with whom I was able to prepare myself physically. Envy and motivation are present.

On the side of padel amateur, we are pleasantly surprised by the level displayed at the club, there is a great potential, for sure, the level will increase quickly.

Interview by Jean-Marc Hérard - Padel Buzz

Esther Lasheras on line:
@EstherLasheraspadel (Facebook athlete page)
@EstherLasheras (twitter & instagram)
Jean-Marc Herard

Jean-Marc Herard is the chronicler Padel Magazine internationally. Barcelona offers us a more international vision of padel including his chronicle Padel Buzz. JMH is the scanner of padel World.

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