Daniel “Sanyo” Gutierrez  confides in  Padel Magazine  during a exclusive interview. Discover the first part of the interview: the man behind the padel player.

Daniel or Sanyo, but not Carlos!

 Lorenzo Lecci Lopez: Carlos Daniel Gutierrez, but everyone calls you Sanyo. Why do you prefer this nickname to your real name? 

 Sanyo Gutierrez: “This nickname comes from the actor who advertised Sanyo TVs in the 90s. I'd rather be called Sanyo or Daniel. The name I don't like is Carlos. With all my respect for Carlos, but I don't care for myself. I do not feel identified with this first name and if I am called by this first name I do not look back. ”

The rise in padel

 Lorenzo Lecci Lopez: How did you start playing padel? Did you have to choose between other sports? 

 Sanyo Gutierrez: “When I was young I did a lot of sports. My father played tennis, and my first rallies were on tennis courts. While my father played with his friends, I would hit the wall. And in the early 90s, padel started to become fashionable, and he started playing padel. So for me it was the same, I would accompany him and play against a wall. That's how my padel started.”

“I also played  Football . My father often asked me if I wanted to try my luck in a club. Among my friends I stood out a bit, so at 16 I went to a club. I did pretty well there, but I didn't like the atmosphere, so it was a bit hard for me. So I preferred to continue in padel.”

 Lorenzo Lecci Lopez: And then you start playing tournaments. Tell us about this period. 

 Sanyo Gutierrez: “I played all the tournaments in my city. And when I was 15, when I started to really improve, I was playing in the first division, and I traveled a lot to Mendoza, San Juan, Cordoba. And with all these trips, I was able to progress. I didn't have a coach, I trained with my brother. We played with other pairs twice a week for two or three hours. I progressed until I reached the professional level in Argentina. ”

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“Sport is not a sacrifice”

 Lorenzo Lecci Lopez: We see a lot of Argentines having difficulties when they arrive in Spain. How was your experience of changing continent? 

 Sanyo Gutierrez: “It is obviously difficult when you make the decision to leave your country. You have to do it with a real desire to do it for this sport. On the sentimental level, it is very difficult. But beware, for me, making a living from your sport is  a real privilege , and those who say it's a sacrifice it's a lie. But it is true that leaving Argentina was a bit difficult. But my goal was clear, and I didn't have a real alternative either.  : either I played padel well, or I worked with my father and brother in a painting workshop . I would have been very happy, but I had no other path. I had very good results in padel, and so I decided to go to Spain.”

“The first few years were difficult here. I missed my family a lot, but then I started to chart my course. I now have my own family with my wife and my son and I am completely attached to Spain. ”

“The person I love the most”

 Lorenzo Lecci Lopez: You have been little Bruno's dad for a little over a year. How has being a father changed for you, and has there been an influence on the court? 

 Sanyo Gutierrez: “What I'm going to say is a bit contradictory. The person I love the most has appeared. I have never had this love so strong, but the biggest fears have also arisen. I was a brave person who wasn't afraid of anything, and now I have a lot of fears related to my son. ”

An admiration for Messi ... and for Bela

 Lorenzo Lecci Lopez: You have the Leo Messi signature tattooed on arm. Where does your love for Leo come from? 

 Sanyo Gutierrez: “I'm not the typical fanatic who thinks about this all day. But I admire  Messi , beyond when he has the bullet in his feet.  An Argentinian who doesn't think the same way is making a mistake . He always represents us in the right way. Some may think it is not the best, or prefer  Maradona , that is according to the tastes of each person. But it's impossible to argue with the fact that Messi represents us extremely well globally. As an athlete, as a person, this is an example. ”

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“I haven't had the chance to share a lot of time with him. I would love to be able to listen to it. I have the chance to play now with  White  and I love to listen to it. With these people, you can learn a lot off the pitch. ”

 Lorenzo Lecci Lopez: Can we compare Bela to Leo Messi? 

 Sanyo Gutierrez: "Of course. Now I am lucky to have him by my side, and I am learning about everything. Sure it must have flaws, but  when he tells me something, I love to listen to him because it is a learning about life . "

"White is the best in history ”

 Lorenzo Lecci Lopez: Who is the best player in the history of padel? 

 Sanyo Gutierrez: “Sometimes they say that the best is the one who wins the most, and it's possible, but padel is a sport that is played by two, so it's difficult to choose the best. I would say Fernando Belasteguin, and not for everything he won, but for  the evolution of his game . As No.1, he never stopped improving.  Every year he came with a new weapon . He is now the most complete player. ”

“There are players like  Lebron or Galan  which at times exceed Bela's level of play in her career. These are players who have such ease that they can completely prevent you from playing. They are very comprehensive. But what Bela has done is have an excellent level over many, many years. ”

"Then  Juan Martin Diaz  was a great attacking player, ahead of his time, but having had him in front, I did not see a very complete player. I knew if I could get him behind I could win. While Bela no: he could beat me in all conditions. ”

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A coaching career

 Lorenzo Lecci Lopez: Would you be a coach at the end of your career? 

 Sanyo Gutierrez: " Yes for sure, I would love to . I'm going in that direction. When I have a little more time, I will start to train myself as a coach. Right now I can be a coach on the bench, and I see some things, but I don't see myself as a great trainer. I haven't been teaching for a long time. When I finish my career, I would love to resume training young people and pass on my experience. ”

 Lorenzo Lecci Lopez: Which football team do you support? 

 Sanyo Gutierrez: “I am more for the  Barça , although I'm not a fan. But I prefer Barça to win and Real to lose. But Real deserves all my respect. When the big games come, they win. And also  River Plate  in Argentina ! 

From his names, we can guess his Spanish and Italian origins. Lorenzo is a multilingual passionate about sports: journalism by vocation and events by worship are his two legs. He is the international gentleman of Padel Magazine. You will often see him at various international competitions, but also at major French events. @eyeofpadel on Instagram to see his best padel photos!

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