At 36, Argentinian Maxi Sanchez begins his 18th season as a padel professional. During the Human Padel Toulouse Open, the native of Villa Mercedes told us about his best memory, spoke about his relationship with Kuikma brand, but also his return to the side of his lifelong friend Lucho Capra…

Padel Magazine : What is your best memory in padel?

Maxi Sanchez : I have a lot. I played for many years at the professional level. I've been playing since I was 15, I'm 36 so I have lots of memories. One of the most beautiful concerns the World Padel Tour of Lisbon where I became world number 1. It was in September 2018, there was my family, my parents, my wife… I won the tournament and it became one of the best moments of my career.

 PM: And the worst in your opinion?

Maxi: I think I've been a lucky athlete. Nothing bad has happened to me. Maybe, when I've had an injury or when I haven't been able to play a tournament because of an injury, a discomfort, it's something that happens to an athlete but, nothing really bad has ever happened to me. I don't have any bad memories of padel.

PM: Could you give me the technical sheet of the player of your dreams?

Maxi: Today, padel is super complete and very dynamic. What is important for me is to have a mentally strong player. The mental part that forms 50% of a player, I think I would take Belasteguin's mental. He is a very competitive player. Then I'll take Galan's backhand, Sanyo Gutierrez's forehand and backhand volleys, that of Galan's forehand, le smash of Lebron or Tapia. I think all of that would probably make the best player in the world.

PM: Who is your idol?

Maxi : Since I was little it's Juan Martin Diaz. I met him in Argentina in an exhibition. Later, I had the pleasure of playing and sharing the track with him. He has always been my reference in padel. I still love watching him play today, he is 47 years old and he continues to be in the field. The other day I was watching him play and I still love what he does. My idol has always been him.

PM: What is your favorite tournament?

Maxi: There are many very good tournaments, but for me the most beautiful, it is that of Buenos Aires, for the love of my family, my friends and for what padel represents in Argentina. We look forward to it throughout the season and for many Argentine players who have left home, like me, it always means something to come back home. It's a very special feeling that this tournament gives us, I think it's the most special for all Argentinian players.

The Rural World Padel Tour Buenos Aires Master 2021

PM: What is your favorite shot in padel?

Maxi: The forehand volley is my favorite shot. It's the one where I feel the most comfortable.

PM: Do you have another passion besides padel? Another sport?

Maxi: I really like football. When I can on vacation, I often train with Argentinian friends, they always wait for me to play but I play very little. My other passion is my family, my children, and when I stop playing or training I spend time at home with them, it allows me to disconnect a little from padel.

PM: Do you have a favorite football team?

Maxi: My favorite team… Always where Leo Messi is (laughs): Barcelona, ​​PSG and now Inter Miami.

Messi Padel Bullpadel

PM: Can you give us a future Argentinian nugget in padel?

Maxi: This year I made an exhibition in Argentina with Juani De Pascual, he is a very young player, left-handed, tall and powerful with a good defense. Well, he is no longer really a hope but a confirmation of Argentine padel without a doubt.

maxi sanchez by pascual hungarian open

PM: What advice could you give to a young person who wants to become a professional padel player?

Maxi : What I found most interesting when I was young was thinking about working on a daily basis, achieving short and long term goals without too much pressure and enjoying the journey. A young player must achieve his goals, step by step, without rushing too much. If he works well and dedicates himself fully to it, then he can accomplish his goals.

PM: We are also going to talk about Kuikma, how do you feel with your new shoes?

Maxi: Impressive! With last season's shoes I was already very happy. It's a super dynamic and reactive shoe, it's a bit higher than what you find on the market today and I think it makes the player more confident in what he is doing. In all the holds and starts, padel requires dynamism, power and that helps the player a lot.

shoes-padel-kuikma-padelmagazine

PM: Do you have a dream today, a specific objective?

Maxi: No, my goals I achieved when I left my home in Argentina and when I was number 1 in the world. My goal is to enjoy on the field and give the best every day, get up every morning with the desire to improve.

I am very happy with my new team, my new racquet, Kuikma, they are people who have the same way of thinking as me. We want to improve every day and that allows the team to function very well.

PM: How are things going with Lucho Capra?

Maxi: Lucho is a friend, I have known him for many years, we have shared many moments, this is already our 3rd association together. Every time we get together, we enjoy and it goes well, because we are friends. I know his family and he mine, I think we go very well together on the pitch and off it too.

Among the objectives of a team is having a good time off the track because we spend a lot of time together. With Lucho we have achieved it, now we have to improve a little what is happening inside, work every day to achieve our goals and continue enjoying together.

Maxi Sanchez ARG and Lucho Capra ARG champions in Valladolid

PM: We see it today with Franco Stupaczuk and Martin Di Nenno it's very important to be friends on the pitch and in life...

Maxi: I agree 100%! They have known each other since they were little, they lived together. They passed a stage, they professionalized separately and they progressed enormously. Today all the conditions are met to make them the second best pair in the world. As we saw at the time with Lebron and Galan or Tapia / Coello, we feel that they have become friends, they know each other off the pitch, they have a lot of fun and it shows in the results.

To see the full interview, it's right here.

Vincent Gallie

A fan of oval ball, round ball and also racket sports, he was bitten by padel during his adolescence in Galicia. As comfortable in front of the camera as behind a microphone, Vince will be able to bring his vision and expertise as a passionate fan of the little yellow ball.

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