Padel: Interview with Augustin Gutierrez - "The most important thing is mental strength"
Augustin Gutierrez, 24 years old, born in Argentina, is one of the upcoming young players in the sport of padel. In an interview with tennisnet, Gutierrez talks about the training conditions at the Juan Carlos Fererro Equelite Academy, his great strengths and his trip to Vienna.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Aug 29, 2022, 12:08 pm
tennisnet : Mr. Gutierrez. How would you rate your season so far on the World Padel Tour.
Augustin Gutierrez : 2022 is my best year on the World Padel Tour, although during the season I had to change my partner. It was weird because I was used to playing with a left-handed partner. I now had to adapt my game again to a right-handed teammate. But with this change I had to improve. I've played well in recent tournaments. We work hard with Joste.
tennisnet : Although they recently lost early in Malaga, Juan Lebron and Alejandro Galan are the best team on the tour. How far are you and your partner from the quality of Lebron/Galan?
Gutierrez : Malaga has shown that we are all good players in padel. Lebron and Galan lost to a team that came out of qualification. What makes them the best in the world is that they can maintain their level throughout the season. They have shown that for the last two or three years. It's difficult to be at their mental and tactical level. If you're having a very good day, you can beat them. But of course it is also true that on an average padel day they are better than everyone else. If you play against them, it also depends on the circumstances at the tournaments. I believe we are competitive against Lebron and Galan. What Josete and I like best is a semi-paced court where we can convert our game.
"I need mental strength from my team-mate"
tennisnet : What are your strengths? And what do you need from your partner?
Gutierrez : I think I'm a really fast player on the court. I'm a very unpredictable player, even if I'm not particularly fast. I can cover the court well because of my speed and footwork. My best shots are the backhand volley and the smash off the wall. I need mental strength from my teammate. And he should move the ball well. He has to let me run across the court and take charge.
#IMG2#
tennisnet : Which skill is most important to become a successful padel player?
Gutierrez : The most important thing is the mental side of the game. Padel demands discipline and respect. You have to learn to say "no" when the situation calls for it. That's what I admire most about the best players in the world.
tennisnet : You live and train in Juan Carlos Fererro's academy. What makes this place special for you as a player and as a person?
Gutierrez : Equelite is an academy that is home to many stars. In tennis it is among the best academies in the world. JFC Sanyo Padel Academy is only one year old and is growing fast. For me personally, living with legends like Juan Carlos Fererro and Sanyo is an incredible experience where I'm constantly learning. I love having successful people around me. I have a very good relationship with Claudio Gilardoni. He's a great coach. I like spending time with him on and off the court. There are coaches who bring a lot of knowledge with them but cannot respond to the players. Claudio knows exactly how to talk to every single player in the academy. That's why I never had any doubts about getting into the academy.
tennisnet : Was padel always your first choice as a sport?
Gutierrez : I started playing football. But when I was twelve I switched to padel and I haven't stopped.
"France and Italy are taking the next step"
tennisnet : In padel, the players from Argentina and Spain rule. Do you see any country that could come closer to these two?
Gutierrez : Padel is growing worldwide. Argentina and Spain have always dominated. At first it was more Argentina than Spain, but that seems to have turned around a bit in recent years. Spain won the World Cup. In Europe, France and Spain are trying to take the next step. They have good players on the World Padel Tour. Brazil have always been strong in South America. Padel is also growing rapidly in Chile, Paraguay and Ecuador, as well as in the United States. I believe that Spain and Argentina will have to work harder in the coming years to stay at the top.
tennisnet : A few weeks ago you took part in the Vienna Padel Open. How did you like this experience?
Gutierrez : In Vienna I lost to Lebron and Galan. It was a nice tournament. The city is beautiful. The organization was also very good. The hotel was right next to the venue. Everything was very comfortable. We were also right on the subway. I have very good memories of Vienna.
tennisnet : Indoors or outdoors? Where do padel players like it better? And do you change tactics?
Gutierrez : I've always preferred to play indoors, but it's also true that my best results have come from outdoors. The only quarter final I reached this year was indoors in Valencia. Before that I was only able to do it outdoors. Now I like both. When I'm playing outside I try to shorten my stroke because the ball is faster and it's harder to find the perfect contact point.
tennisnet : What are your goals for the rest of the 2022 season?
Gutierrez : I just want to keep having fun on the court. I really enjoy playing with Josete. We have a very good relationship. We always become friends and that gives us an advantage. We will keep working hard to get better every day.