Tino Libaak: “At 16, I left everything for padel”

He only has 19 years, but already a very busy padel life. Tino Libaak is from that precocious generation that leaves no doubt: the boy is destined for the heights. In an interview given to Sport, the Argentinian looks back on his extraordinary career, between sacrifices, significant encounters and dreams fulfilled.

Padel as an early vocation

Born in Villa Mercedes, Libaak grew up in a padel club run by his parents. The ideal setting to fall in love with a sport that he would quickly choose. 16 years, he left his family and crossed the Atlantic to settle in Barcelona, with a clear objective in mind: become professionalToday, that dream has come true… but he doesn't intend to stop there.

“Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to make a living from this sport. At 12 or 13 years old, I started making small efforts to achieve it.”

Heavy but necessary sacrifices

Moving away from his family at such a young age was not easy. “It’s hard not having childhood friends or family around,” he confides. But friends and his “second home” in Barcelona offer him a stability that compensates for the distance. Tino is fully invested : physical training, padel sessions, psychological monitoring and work with physiotherapists punctuate his daily life.

Belasteguín's legacy and learning from the greats

He was lucky enough to finish his career Fernando Belasteguín by his side, an experience he describes as “unforgettable”. “That he chose me for the last three months of his career is huge. I learned a lot.” Same observation with Juan Tello, with whom he shared a few intense months. “When he called me to explain the separation, I understood. I just remembered our level of play and his personality.”

A new adventure with Javi Garrido

Today, Tino teams up with Javi Garrido, an association born from common circumstances. The two players want to write a beautiful story and are banking on the time and mutual trust to progress. “I'm very motivated, we talk a lot, we want to do well. And as long as we have this desire, we'll go far.”

The discreet hero of the World Cup

En 2024Libaak is one of the key figures behind Argentina's victory at the World Championship. Despite being the hero of the championship, he downplays his role. “It was a team effort. There were eight of us brothers, including the staff. It was this unity that carried us through.”

A clear dream: to become number 1

Libaak never hid his objective: become world number oneHe knows that the road is long, strewn with demands, regularity and maturity. But he is preparing for it with seriousness and patience.

“Padel has given me so much that I can only give back with effort and passion.”

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 !