In an interview with Relief, Fernando Belasteguín spoke about various topics related to the sport: its heritage, the tensions between Premier Padel and the PPA, the domination of Tapia and Coello, and his absence from the latter Doha World Cup.

On his legacy in padel

Belasteguín humbly stated that he did not care about the impact of his legacy. “I have never done things to leave a legacy, but so that padel, as a sport, is always above everything.” He is nevertheless pleased with the progress made: “Three years ago, we would never have imagined that the top ten in the ranking would reach figures in the millions.” For him, the next step is to consolidate these achievements and expand opportunities for lower-ranked players.

The tensions between Premier Padel and PPA

Asked about recent conflicts between Premier Padel and Professional Players Association (PPA), Belasteguín advocates an internal approach to resolving disputes: “Discussions should remain behind closed doors. It does not serve the industry if players are always seen as the source of the problems.” It also suggests better player involvement in the development of the calendar to avoid inconsistencies and unnecessary tensions.

The domination of Tapia and Coello

On the sporting front, Belasteguín praised the domination of Agustín Tapia and Arturo Coello, which, according to him, “are far above the others.” He compares them to a perfectly oiled machine that adjusts its game according to the needs of each match. “If they both play well, they are unbeatable.” Regarding their opponents, he thinks that even pairs like Galan and Chingotto, with adjustments, will struggle to compete with them if Tapia and Coello reach their full potential.

His absence from the Doha World Cup

Belasteguín's absence from the Argentine team that won the Doha World Cup made an impression. Bela explains that he accepted the selectors' decision with complete serenity: “I knew I wasn't good enough to play on the right. They were very honest with me, and I accepted their choice.” He chose not to accompany the team as a member of staff to avoid attracting excessive attention that could have harmed the balance of the group.

A clear vision for the future

Now that he is officially retired, Belasteguín says he is ready to experience the next World Cup as an enthusiastic fan. His commitment to padel remains intact, and he continues to defend the need for collaboration between the stakeholders of the sport to guarantee a stable and prosperous future.

“Padel has come a long way, but we have to stop the conflicts and work together to continue building this sport,” he concluded.

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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