Paula Eyheraguibel

1. Age and occupation
48 years old. Pádel Sport director of Club Esportiu Valldoreix.
8 times World Champion of pádel 

2. Sponsor?
Starvie 

3. Biggest achievements in padel?
5 world championship with Argentinian team.
3 world championships Open (with Carolina Navarro, Iciar Montes and Silvana Campus)
Number 1 of Argentina 2000-2002
Number 1 of Spain 2003/2004 

4. What is the biggest differense from todays padel and when you were on top?
When the paddle started there were no specific training for physical preparation, no managers, nutritionists, psychologists. Now everything is more professional.
We played more not to make mistakes, now with the arrival of tennis players to padel and with the evolution of the sport, they are constantly looking to make the point. It is a faster padel, to take time from the attacker and many changes of rhythm

5. When do you think we can see a swede in the top 50 in the world?
Padel in Sweden is growing at a dizzying rate. Not only in the construction of clubs but also good players are coming out. Everything will depend on whether, in addition to training fully, they decide to compete in the different circuits that exist to measure themselves against players who have been competing for years and of course with the experienced coacha training that guides their steps.

6. If you can give on advice to an amatuer player, what would that be?
I would tell him to have fun because putting pressure and just wanting to win is useless. this is still a game and you have to have fun. It is good to get improvements and not suffer injuries due to bad gestures to go to a padel teacher to guide them.
Help your partner to shine on the court because padle is a sport of 2, they are a team and both must shoot for the same side

7. Who, in your opinion is the the best player ever lived?
The best player has been Fernando Belasteguin, 16 years number 1 in a sport is incredible. Mentally he is very strong and has always trained to keep improving as if he had not won a title. Another unique and unrepeatable player is Juan Martin Díaz, his reflexes and his way of playing make him totally different from the rest.
In women, Carolina Navarro (with whom I played 6 unforgettable years) was the one who marked an era due to her different speed and she still continue playing at the top.

8. In 5 years, who do you think is number one? Male and female?
In women Ari Sánchez, Gemma Triay, Bea González, Aranza Osoro (they were all my companions in their initiates and I am proud of them), Delfi Brea, Tamara all are very young even though it seems that they have been in the paddle for years and will continue to be up there In boys, Arturo Cohelo is incredible, like Agus Tapia, Martin, Stupa… and the already consecrated Lebrón, Galán and Paquito still have a lot to give.

9. Goals for the future? Short and long term.
I have competed 33 years and really the life of traveling to different places is something that I always liked. Now I am doing it from the coach side. So I would love to continue contributing to the growth of padel in different countries and to continue training both players who are excited to fulfill their dreams of reaching the top and those who really enjoy practicing our beloved sport.
It makes me happy to be able to combine my studies in marketing and sports management and my years of experience in the paddle tennis court to help padel continue to grow in the best direction

*intervjun gjord 18 December, 2021