Fernando Belasteguín continues to pass on his knowledge with the same rigor that made him a legend. A guest on Manu Martín's podcast, the most decorated player in the history of padel shared his clear and straightforward vision of what it takes to survive at the highest level of the sport.

According to the Argentinian, everything revolves around three fundamental pillars:  the precision ,  solidity  et  speed . Three qualities that he has continued to cultivate throughout his career, adapting them to each stage of his playing life.

“Precision is what allows you to control the game, to inflict damage with the right ball at the right time,” he explains. It's what allows you to compensate for any physical weakness or gain the tactical upper hand in rallies.

The second quality,  solidity , is for him the one that makes the biggest difference in the long run. “What allowed me to stay competitive was continuing to be solid.” This consistency, both mental and technical, is what separates reliable players from the more unstable ones, especially when the pressure mounts.

Finally  speed , which he describes as a dual-interpretation element: that of the body, of course, but also that of the mind. While the physical wears out with age, the speed of reading the game and decision-making can continue to improve. Bela himself acknowledges this: over the years, he has had to “adapt” and work differently to compensate for certain physical limitations.

This combination of technical rigor, mental solidity and tactical intelligence is perhaps what has allowed “Bela” to stay  world number 1 for 16 years A model of longevity that he continues to share today.

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 !