Sixth delivery of the interviews that the Spanish Federation has made all the pre-called and pre-called, which will be the members of the Masculine and Feminine teams that will defend our country in the XIIIº World Championship by National Teams. It's time to meet one of those young players who have been speaking for several years on the World Paddle Tour.
Padel World Press .- Although his name is already a 'classic' in the Professional Circuit, the truth is that, by age, this young man from San Fernando (Cádiz) is part of the group of talents called to star in the next generational relay.
Current number 28 of the world, Chiqui started this campaign with Pablo Lijó, from the Mallorca Open, to become the new partner of Fernando Poggi, with which he has not been slow in transmitting very good feelings.
Excited about the possibility of playing an Absolute World Cup with Spain, do not miss this interview to the FEP team.
First of all, congratulations on being preselected. I guess very happy and more to be your first call for the Absolute Selection?
To tell you the truth, I didn't know when the shortlist was going to come out or, at least, I wasn't very aware of it. That day, I connected to Twitter and I heard the news… It was a moment of great joy. Although I have been having a good season, everyone who is there is also doing it. It is very difficult to be part of that list of great players.
You have won World Cups in Minors ... How do you remember that stage and those championships?
There were three World Cups, two of them with the national team: 2005 and 2009. I was also present in 2007, in Buenos Aires. It was, as I say, my best time as a paddle player since it is totally different ... You play with your friends and although there is pressure to win, it is carried out in another way. Once you play as a professional, and you look back, you see that time as the best of all.
You are part of a great team, in which you combine veteran and youth. How do you see the national team this year?
I think it is great news for paddle tennis that there are young people. We are showing the older ones that the youngsters are coming strong, that we are training a lot and that little by little we are getting good results. We are no longer a surprise. That change was necessary, not only for me but for all those players who are also there, to form a good raw material for the future. Still, those who are there more veterans deserve it as much or more, since they are still the benchmark.
The top favorites remain Argentina, however, year after year, those distances are being cut. What do you think?
They tend to be very even qualifying rounds and we are quite even. Despite this, it is true that they start a priori as more favorites ... They have Bela, Sanyo or Cristián among others. They are perhaps more top players than ours. Despite this, we have very good pineapple. They may be stronger individually but our collective is just as powerful or stronger than yours.
The campaign has been good. You started alongside Pablo Lijo and then went on to share a field with Fernando Poggi, with whom you reached the quarterfinals in Valladolid, facing off against Bela-Lima. How have you experienced this start of the season?
From Pablo, the truth is that I only have good words. We started this 2016 doing quarters in Gijón and then we kept making eighth in all the tournaments, except in Portugal. The change of couple, perhaps at a future level, is not as promising as with Pablo but, at the present level, I am next to a super professional person, with whom I understand very well, who has been many years among the eight first. I think that the union has also been good for him, as it had been a long time since he was fourth and in the first tournament together we achieved it.
What characteristics do you think you can contribute to the team?
What I will not miss is heart, for that love above all that I profess for my country, being very in touch with all the sports in which Spain has representation in international tournaments. In addition, my extroverted, cheerful and fun can help the whole to be more united if possible. And at the time of encouraging if in the end I do not play, I am one more in the fans, singing a single cry, that of Spain.
A wish that you have Alvaro both personally and collectively for the end of the season in which the World is also?
As I have said in an interview, at the WPT level I do not set very defined objectives. What I want is to continue training as I am doing this season, since I have never done it at this level of intensity. By doing this, we are sure to be in the round of XNUMX at every tournament and, from time to time, the occasional quarter-final. Regarding the National Team, everyone wants to win a World Padel Toir tournament while, for me, the best thing would be to win a World Cup. Without a doubt, it would be the one that would fill me the most on a sporting level. Right now I would settle for just going ... If you can win later, it would be the greatest gift.
From the Federation it was recalled that the news related to the XIIIº World Championship by National Teams can be followed through the hashtag # MundialPádel16 .
Image: World Paddle Tour
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