Gulf News talks to Fernando Belasteguín, top ranking Argentinian padel player
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NewsTranscript
00:00Good evening everyone, I'm Adil Sajjan and I'm here at the Gulf News Paddle with Adil
00:05and I'm super excited because today I'm here with Fernando Balestaguin aka Bella.
00:23Now for those of you who don't know or who have never played paddle,
00:26Bella is from Argentina and he's been the number one global paddle player from 2002 to 2016 which
00:35is 16 years in a row and today we have him as an interview and along with him we have Teddy
00:41who is his manager and also his partner at the Bella Paddle Center. I want to ask you Bella,
00:46you started playing paddle tennis in 1990. What inspired you to start playing paddle tennis and
00:53why did you start the sport? Hi Adil, when I was 10 years old I knew paddle, I played football
01:03but in the same club when I played football I knew paddle and when I knew paddle I loved it.
01:12I am very very happy for my career and the paddle sport is very social, very funny and
01:28very very easy. For me paddle is the sport of the future. I 100% agree because I also started
01:35playing paddle very recently and trust me guys it is a lot of fun and as Bella said it's very
01:41social and it's a lot of fun to play with. You know this is a question that all sportsmen have,
01:46you know Bella has been the number one official player 16 years in a row. Now forget the paddle
01:52industry but I don't think in any sport for a sportsman to hold the number one rank 16 years
01:57in a row is an easy feat, it's something impossible unheard of but here we have a gentleman, you know
02:02a hero of the paddle industry who's not only done it but he does it with a smile even today.
02:07So Bella I want to hear from you what is your secret behind your success?
02:11My secret I think is trying to be a better player every day. Now that I'm in competition
02:21the only thing that worries me is improving every day to continue being competitive
02:26and when I'm no longer a professional I'll realize what I've achieved in the sport.
02:31He's explaining that for him the most important is to improve every day. Now he was number one
02:3916 years in a row but for him now the most important thing is improve, improve and improve
02:43and when he retires he will have time to see behind him and know how it's so difficult to become
02:5216 years in a row number one but the main goal for him is to improve every day more.
02:57I want to understand how much are you enjoying playing alongside your 20 year old partner
03:02Arturo Coelho? You know I've seen him play, he's very energetic,
03:05what is the experience playing with him?
03:25For him it's super exciting and he's very happy to to play with Arturo Coelho because
03:31it's only 19 years old and he remembers how he began to play and for him it's so much energy
03:39every time that he is training and playing with him how energy is all the energy that he needs
03:44to follow improving and for him it's amazing to to share with him this this new area.
03:51That's fantastic I mean if you guys are watching the Paddle Tennis Games
03:55these guys are very dangerous duo in fact they recently won a cup in Miami you know that was
04:01very exciting can you tell us a little bit about you know what was the feeling how did you enjoy
04:05the whole Miami experience?
04:06I never thought to win one tournament so early and now they are very quiet because they know that they can to win and now for the rest of the season they are very happy because they know that they can.
04:34Now I want to ask you you playing at this level according to you who are your most challenging
04:42interesting you know opponents on the court who are your most difficult or most challenging opponents today?
05:05They say that all the opposites of the rivals are very hard to win they are very all are very very
05:11good players but for him he knows that he can win and he can lose with a lot of different
05:19couples but for him the same the most important is to improve improve and trying to to to win
05:26or not but to to stay always with a with a maximum level to compete.
05:30I want to know what brings you to Abu Dhabi you know we have such a beautiful event such
05:34good weather over here the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi and what is your association with Emirates Paddle?
05:56We're very happy to have Emirates Paddle like a partner because for us it's very important
06:01to have this company and the people that who is behind this company in order to develop the
06:06paddle in UAE and this is the is the first occasion to opening the first beta paddle concept in the
06:14world and he is very happy to have these partners and to begin to work to develop the paddle in UAE.
06:20You're an inspiration to all the sports people you know you're 42 years old but still you gave
06:26all the professional people worldwide a run for their money like I mentioned you won the Miami
06:31Tour as well what are your future plans you know do you have any plans of retiring or you still
06:36continue to play on that level and once you do retire what are your plans and how you're going
06:40to be promoting paddle tennis?
06:41He loves his job because he didn't answer it but I know he loves his job and he would like to play three years more 22 23 and 24
07:08he tried to train every day because he thinks the best is already to arrive.
07:15Well I'm pretty sure it is as a big big Bella fan I hope that he doesn't retire any soon and we can
07:20enjoy more Bella matches in the future. My last question is finally is there any tips for people
07:27who are playing paddle tennis what should they do to improve their game or what they should do in
07:31general to become a better player? Only one thing if if paddle is very very easy if you play in
07:41paddle you funny continue funny no more. A question for you please okay what is the question are are
07:51you businessman are you influencer man are you journalist man are you sport man what are you?
08:02Well I'm every man you know see I'm lucky I'm honestly I'm blessed to be and for me I'm doing
08:09this with Gulf News because I really have a passion for paddle I want to promote paddle
08:14you know in the community I'm lucky to be having friends like you who are willing to be
08:18supporting this show and of course work comes first so you know you got to just balance and
08:23balancing life is the most important thing that's the only thing so I try my best you know from work
08:30I've come here from here there'll be a dinner so that's how life is and that's the only way it can
08:34be accomplished and I have one question for Teddy you know Teddy you've been managing Bella for so
08:39many years I know I had the chance of having dinner with Bella at my house he was such a
08:43humble person I didn't know because you know generally people when they become superstars
08:48not everyone is so friendly and modest but I saw Bella like a family man like such a humble person
08:53what is your experience with Bella you know managing him for so many years? I began to work
08:57with him more or less 12 years ago and for him always when he introduces me to somebody he is
09:02the first is we are friends then I am his manager and we are partners but I think the main thing is
09:06we are friends and Bella is a person that he is very very professional with his job probably a lot
09:12of people think that he is not very funny guy because he always is very funny in his job
09:17and I tell you that he is very funny and he's so familiar guy he is people that if for sure if you
09:24have any problem will be the first that we will come to help you for his friends and for his
09:29family this is one of the most important things you not only are a professional player you are
09:34a person is the first I think it's for example the claim of Wilson that un Belasteguin nunca se
09:41un Belasteguin never give up he always is trying to improve he always want to help and for me it's
09:46amazing for me it's my career for my job for me now I can I am very happy because I can work with
09:54my patient and I know that they can because I began to work with him 12 years ago and not only
09:59me all our team in the company because we are partners in our company as well Bella is a
10:03businessman as well it's not only a professional player and I am very happy and I know that I am
10:08here because I am with him I just want to end this note first of all thank you Bella and thank
10:13you Terry really this means a lot to me for all the listeners and the viewers I just want to say
10:16something if you're starting paddle tennis you know I would recommend start with coaching and
10:21the best place to coach is at the Bella Paddle Center the reason is because the coaches themselves
10:27what I've understood are trained you know by people who's under Bella supervision so if you
10:32know you're training with the best of the people and thank you so much guys