Pablo Lima is an emblematic figure of the padel, both on and off the field. He is one of those players who, when he speaks, captures everyone's attention, although he rarely and always does so in a moderate way.

Mundo Deportivo conducted a nice interview with the Brazilian, going back to his beginnings but also to the rapprochement between Premier Padel and World Padel Tour, his opinion on possible corruption between circuits and players…

His career perfectly illustrates his personality and character, as does his retirement, which he chose rather than endured. This Brazilian has known everything in the world of padel. He left his native Brazil with 10 euros in his pocket to fulfill his dream of becoming a professional player. He proved to be a tireless competitor when he formed 'Los Príncipes' with Juani Mieres for over five years, and reigned supreme when he played alongside Fernando Belasteguín.

“Winning on the way out”

Pablo Lima has commented on his decision to retire at the end of the season, a decision he made during the tournament in World Padel Tour in Mexico: “I wanted to leave winning, not losing”.

He points out that he is retiring at the peak of his career, which is atypical in sports. However, Lima explains that he chose to retire because of his desire to spend more time with his family and live a more "normal" life: "I was tired of travelling, of the pressure, of answering commitments with sponsors or expectations you generate. It's a life I can't wait to leave”.

Brutal growth to make you lose your mind

Pablo Lima, a veteran of padel, has witnessed the rapid evolution of the sport, including its international expansion and the increase in player compensation. “Over the past three years, post-pandemic, growth has been brutal. I never imagined this,” he said.

However, this rapid growth can cause a loss of perspective, especially for young players who quickly rise to the top of the sport.

Pablo Lima at Premier Padel ?

Pablo Lima, in addition to being a player of padel, is also an executive member of the PPA (Professional Padel Association). He expressed his support for Premier Padel to become the only circuit in 2024, but it is not yet clear whether it will be involved in any way. "There was a possibility and there was a conversation about it in Doha, but we haven't made any progress since then," he said.

As for the current state of negotiations between the World Padel Tour (WPT) and Premier Padel (PP), Lima indicates that the players are aware of their progress, even if they are not progressing as quickly as they would like. He clarified that the PPA is not directly involved in these negotiations, which take place between Damm and QSI. “What was in our hands has already been done,” he concludes.

System World Padel Tour guilty of rising injuries

Pablo Lima has expressed concern over the rise in injuries among players of padel. He attributed this increase to the current system of World Padel Tour (WPT) which obliges players to participate in all tournaments in order not to lose points. “The WPT system takes its toll because you can't miss a tournament so you don't lose points and that forces some players to push the machine harder than they should,” Lima said.

Lima indicates that the PPA (Professional Padel Association) is working on changes to give players more flexibility and guarantee their health. “Next week there will be a ranking meeting to exclude certain tournaments, because if you add them all up, it's an outrage. The player needs flexibility to rest”.

However, these changes cannot be implemented this year due to the current WPT system. Lima hopes that in the future players will have more freedom to choose where and when to play.

Lisandro and the supposed corruption

He also expressed his dismay at the behavior of certain individuals in sport, citing the case of Lisandro Borges : “It makes me sad because what he is doing is not right… I had to block him to stop him sending me nasty messages.”

Finally, Lima refuted the corruption allegations that circulated last year, insisting that no player received money to influence the future of the padel professional. He said: "I didn't receive a single euro and I don't think there was any bribery."

For the coming year, Lima hopes for a harmonious union between the World Padel Tour et Premier Padel, wanting the sport to be surrounded by people seeking the best for the sport and not for their own interest. He concluded: “I wish that it will be a harmonious year where everyone can understand each other and that the padel be surrounded by people who seek the best for the sport and not for their business and their ego.”

source: Sports world

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovers the padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since padel is part of his life. You often see him touring France going to cover the major events of padel French.

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