Fernando Belasteguin (43, Pehuajó) It has been a trending topic in the world of paddle tennis as a result of his separation from Daniel ‘Sanyo’ Gutiérrez: the couple’s second cycle consisted of just three tournaments played, although the trigger for the break was in the absences. The last one, from the Granada Open 1000 of the World Padel Tour.
The reverse laureate [230 títulos en 286 finales a lo largo de su carrera] has gone through olé y Twenty Ten to explain the reasons for the decision of his -now ex- partner. He delved into the muscle injury he suffered, the choice of Mike Yanguas as his new partner and Tapia-Coello’s undeniable start to the season.
QUESTION – First things first: you were absent from the Granada Open 1000 due to a muscle injury (NdR: grade 1 adductor strain). How are you physically?
ANSWER – The truth is that very well. Already on Thursday of last week I had an ultrasound and there was good progress. And this Monday there was another and the injury was healed. He had been very young but he did not allow me to go to Granada against all odds and against all thoughts. I played paddle tennis, they gave me the OK and I am very happy to be well again.
By not going to play in Chile and Paraguay, the week after La Rioja I took it easy and we coordinated with the physical trainer to do two very hard weeks of preseason and then loosen up. I did the first, in which we were with Sanyo in Barcelona from Monday to Saturday, and on Sunday I went to PortAventura with the family. On Monday 27 (March) I did paddle tennis and then doing weights, he gave me a little pull in the adductor: I made myself see it and they told me “it’s small, in ten days you’ll be there”. That is why we gave it the importance it had, even I traveled to Kuwait for an event and kept the schedule we had.
– But the Monday before the Open 1000 in Granada, you have a new ultrasound and…
I did an echo when I broke, where they told me “it’s a grade 1, in ten days you’ll be fine.” After seven days I already made baskets with Mike (NdR: Sciorilli, his coach), both Monday and Tuesday and everything under control. On Wednesday I traveled to Kuwait for an awards ceremony and on Thursday morning, when he returned, I had another check before leaving for Alicante. There they told me: “Since you are traveling, it would be good if you take care of your physical condition these days, that you start on Sunday and only play a game on Monday to get into rhythm.” I communicate this in the WhatsApp group where Sanyo and our coaches are. There I put: “I had a strain ten days ago and they told me that everything is fine but I have to do this.”
– And if everything went well with the recovery, what happened?
Where I screwed up, that I was wrong, was that on Friday and Saturday, due to the desire to want to return faster, I did more eccentric than I had to do and it bothered me again. It wasn’t something strong but it did appear a nuisance. So I automatically warned. On Sunday we did paddle tennis for 1h30m, at a calm pace to add volume, and we suspended the game we were going to do on Monday. Sanyo went directly to Granada because he had rented a house with the family and I went back to Barcelona since I had a flight for Tuesday. So although it didn’t bother me at all, as a precaution I did another ultrasound where the doctors saw that I was “a little green” and they told me: “If it were the last tournament of the year, you can go play and if you break your a month and a half. The suggestion, looking at the calendar, is that you don’t go to play”. Had to wait another week. So I communicated it to Sanyo and the coaches via chat on Tuesday: “I can’t go. Although I feel good and the feeling is good, the echo shows that there is still a little bit left.”
– From how you were narrating the facts, what do you think is what ends up leading Sanyo to make the decision?
Since the doctors told me “you’ll be there in ten days”, I think I underestimated the injury and tried not to worry him. As we came from a stage where an injury triggered everything, it gave me a bit of a thing. But where I went too far was doing the extra exercises on those days that I had to stop because I wanted to hurry up and get there. In the end, to do more, I did less because evolution stopped me. That’s where I made the mistake. I always wanted to do more: sometimes it has made me recover from injuries faster, but here it didn’t work for me. When we spoke to Sanyo, he understood that there was a communication error and the situation was not handled well. I recognized that it could be and I assumed my part of the blame for the fact that Friday and Saturday (before the Granada Open) I did more than I had to do. That could have been a baton.
– What did they talk about in that talk?
I told him that I did not understand him. He told me about the ghosts from two years ago and told me “since it’s going to be a very long year, we’re going to have good and bad times. And in the bad times it will come to my mind that we couldn’t play, what happened that of Granada, that of time ago”. And it is totally logical. What’s more: when he came to train in Barcelona, Sanyo told me that during the last change of partners Momo had sent him to play and he had told him no, that he was still with me. So I understand that everything added up: another injury to Bela, he calls you a younger boy who plays very well and many things are being considered. When he called me, the talk was super cordial, super light.
– The expectations in version 2.0 were high. Now that the stage is closed, how do you feel?
Don’t worry. The truth is that I take it as a joke. It is to say: “This match lasts less than the second stage of Bela and Sanyo, ha”. No problem. Yes, there was an expectation but when it cannot be given, nothing happens and absolutely nothing has to be forced. I swear I’m not mad at all. Zero zero. I look forward and things happen because you have to think. I haven’t been injured since June 2019 and in four years, the only two injuries were playing with Sanyo. And I say: “Maybe my body, my mind or something was not ready.” Of course there was an expectation and the first ones who wanted to do well were us, but you have to give things the value they have. Beyond the fact that we are professionals, nothing happens: it is a change of paddle tennis partner. And everything goes forward. Absolutely nothing happens.
– It would be necessary to go back in time and tell Bela from two weeks ago: “Stay seated, calm down, don’t start training today.”
What happens is that the same thing always happens to me and they fart me. I do realize that I am celebrating my birthday but I have to rest even more than I do. You don’t bounce back like when you were in your twenties. “If I had stopped, such a thing would have happened…” That’s it. I always say that things happen for a reason and this is part of our profession.
– He says that he had received the call from Momo González two weeks ago. Had someone written to you?
No, nobody. He tells me about Momo but we had two tournaments together. But yes, once the Granada thing happens and it is known that we would no longer continue playing, three guys write to me to make the change and I make an arrangement with Mike (Yanguas).
– Yanguas was your plan A?
Yes. I had chatted with him in Egypt [durante el NewGiza P1 de Premier Padel] to play together in 2023 and I told him: “I have to talk to Sanyo in Dubai; if I settle with him, I’ll tell you.” And it was what happened. But things happen for a reason. Now we start with Mike in Brussels, but the logical thing would have been to start three months ago. I can assure you that I am very happy.
– For all the changes that exist, this long-term project cannot be asked. Is there an answer to “how long are you going to play with Yanguas”?
He has the answer! Ha. When you start with a young boy, the one who is going to be called more times and the one who goes up is him. We try to make the descent not so pronounced. I don’t know if we’re going to go up. You are doing things but to maintain yourself. There is no doubt that better options will come to him than the one he will have next door. I have a year and a half of professional paddle tennis left and hopefully I can play it with him.
– What kind of couple are we going to see?
Let’s try to become a tough couple. When I spoke to him I told him: “I want you to play with me to try to do something, not because what I won.” What I did no longer exists. I explained to him that if he chose to play with me it was to do things, or at least to try. The only thing I asked of him is that he be very professional, both on and off the pitch in terms of our work. After, nothing else. If he throws the snake or volleys it out, it’s okay because I know he did his best.
– Tapia and Coello started the World Padel Tour season with five titles. Surprise?
Not because, really, they play paddle tennis very, very well. In addition they have been presented with all the seasonings. The first is that they want to play together and they chose each other, it’s not that it was a rebound. The second is that they see themselves with a long-term project, which makes you have much more patience with your partner when faced with a mistake. And the third, that they have started winning which strengthens confidence. I don’t know if you used to play ball when you were little, that they gave you the steel bochón: no matter what you throw at it, the ball bounces off.
– Is the one you play a different padel?
For the results they do, yes. Now we have to find the antidote. As happened with Juan & Ale at the time, now we have to look for a way to hurt them. But they are in the “iron neck” phase and wherever you throw it, the ball will bounce. There is such a rapport and trust that it makes them even better than they are. When you’re like this, one plus one gives you a little more than two.
– And if all these tournaments within a year have no validity?
In 2023 there will be two general rankings to look at: one with the 28 World Padel Tour tournaments and another with the 16 or 17 Premier events [NdR: se tomarán los resultados de 2022 y 2023]. So there will be a number one couple from World Padel Tour and another number one couple from Premier. Could it be that they are different couples? Could be…
– A half year more and enough? Or are there chances of adding an extension?
I like having the feeling of going to tournaments and that the person in front of me feels that if he doesn’t play very well, and I play very well, I can beat him. I don’t want to feel like I’m going to play just to go play. I am going to make the effort to compete in 2023 and 2024. In 20 days I will be 44 years old. It is a decision that I meditated on a lot, that I shared with my family, and hopefully I can complete these two years. I wish I could but the body can slow you down. And I’ll have had enough with 30 years of professional career.
Don’t hurt me anymore. Please!
2023-04-19 11:26:04
#Belasteguín #wrong #wanting #faster #underestimated #didnt #worry
