Fernando Belasteguín: history and career of a world-class padel player
Fernando Belasteguín's History and Career
To be the world number 1 in padel for thirteen years, you need more than just being the best padel player. You need something more, something only the greats possess, a special touch that makes Belasteguín a padel superstar not only in Argentina, where he comes from, but worldwide. It has been 17 years since this player, born in Pehuajo on May 19, 1979, began his first steps at the Club Atlético General San Martín facilities in his hometown. Padel was then a sport for a minority with a certain purchasing power, and padel courts were scarce. Bela started playing on the padel courts of these facilities when he was barely thirteen years old, discovered by Matías Díaz's father.
Two years later, in the midst of his adolescence, he debuted as a professional player. He was barely 15 years old. It only took half a decade for him to become the best padel player in Argentina. Although the great turning point for Belasteguín came when he partnered with Juan Martín Díaz. It is not easy in padel to spend thirteen years with the same partner. However, Belasteguín made it very clear in an interview published by the newspaper Abc. "Few fixed couples exist. You seek goals that perhaps cannot be achieved with your current partner. Just like in life." That is why the day they made the decision, Belasteguín stated with total honesty: "There were signs of wear and tear that led us to make the decision, but we were clear that we didn't want or deserve to end badly, like so many other couples.
Now, since the season began, his new partner is Pablo Lima, with whom Bela feels very comfortable playing. "We have a similar philosophy of what we want and how we want to play," he declared in the interview conducted by Abc. Although he admitted in another interview he gave to El Confidencial that in partner sports, just like in life, you have to get to know your partner, what you like and what you don't like. "It's like getting to know a new girlfriend," Bela declared last March when their relationship began. And the truth is that this unbeatable partnership has already begun to form.
https://youtu.be/jNx6u6DZX9IBelasteguín's record is unbeatable
Until their separation was announced a few months ago, this pair of padel players was a real spectacle in World Padel Tour matches. In fact, together they were number 1 for 13 consecutive years, with an unbeaten record of 1 year and 9 months. He is currently the world number 1 pair with Lima. From 2002 to 2014, he reached 191 finals, winning 170 with his partner Juan Martín Díaz. He was world champion in pairs in 2002 and 2004. And he was world champion with national teams in 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2014. Furthermore, he has been the only player in the history of padel capable of winning 9 silver olympics, 5 consecutive years, in 2002-2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2014. In his native Argentina, he was number 1 in 2000, and in Spain, he was number 2 in the 2002 ranking.Belasteguín's Curiosities
The human side of this player is less known but also exists. He likes soccer and fishing, in addition to padel. If he had to choose an all-time favorite movie, it would undoubtedly be Gladiator or Rocky 4. And perhaps in his free time, he listens to Maná, a group he admires, as well as Maradona. His favorite food is his grandmother's homemade ravioli, and he would get lost in Pehuajo or Madrid if we had to look for him. He started a Business Administration degree that he is finishing at Francisco de Vitoria University, and he loves spending time with the people he cares about most. He prefers the mountains to the beach and cannot stand lies or resentment. He has a quirk: he always bandages his left leg first before matches. And his greatest wish is to be happy.Interesting Interviews with Belasteguín
- Extensive interview conducted in 2009 for Padelife.es
- Interview with Belasteguín for Siauncuerposano.com where he talks about the importance of physical preparation for playing padel.
- Interview in 2012 for 20 Minutos.
- Interview for Cadena SER: "Padel is played a lot but doesn't appear in the media," in 2013.
- Interview for Cope in 2013: "Spain has tremendous success at an amateur level."
