In a true 'Warrior' inside the track. Never give a ball for lost and, of course, can be considered one of the most effective and effective rights of the Circuit. Professional. The great player of Star Vie reveals in World Paddle Tour how the possibility arose that he join his way to that of Maxi Sánchez facing 2016.
Padel World Press .- In a true example of claw and delivery. It is a wall in defense and, in turn, one of the players who best know how to adapt to their partner's game needs. That was something that could be proven three years ago when, in his two campaigns with Cristian Gutiérrez, surprised his rivals playing without the Australian. Now, in this 2015, has been a great point of support for the young and impulsive Paquito Navarro, with whom he raised a title and with which he reached six finals.
As our colleagues at World Paddle Tour say, the mind and attitude are two of the main weapons of this great player, who closed the year as a member of the number 2 in the world and in third place in the Individual Ranking of the WPT .
With desire to face his new challenges, in 2016 he will be accompanied by Maxi Sánchez. As they stated in their presentation video as a couple, both promise to give a great show.
How are you going to start the year?
Near Granada, in a rural house. With my brother Godo Díaz, my parents, who came from Argentina and are here these days, my wife and my children. As today is the last day of the year, I take this opportunity to thank all of my sponsors, without whom it would not be possible to move forward, and to the World Paddle Tour family, who are many and not always seen.
Maxi Sánchez is one of the most talented young people on the Circuit ... Once again you have bet on youth.
Yes, I bet again for a young man and the truth is I am very excited and motivated.
Sánchez also did a 'master's degree' in defense this year alongside Juan Martín Díaz… What do you like most about playing with Maxi? What will it bring to your game?
I am a rather short player and I can not cover so much clue. Because of these physical characteristics, the definition part also costs me a little more. And I think he's going to bring me precisely that facet, that of covering a bit more of the track and taking the lead in definition and attack.
You are going to be a wall in defense.
We want to be a wall in defense and attack; we want to complement each other in both things and the truth is that we are two fairly regular players more than anything. We will have to improve the part that we lack (Laughter).
Let's talk about the technical team that you will have
For the part of padel we will have Severino Iezzi. For physics I will have Álex Jordán and Roberto Bourdet. My psychologist will be Richard Martinez. In the aspect of nutrition I will have Jordi Riba, the official physiotherapist of World Paddle Tour.
How do you see the 2016 season? Again we will have multiple changes of partners.
I think that with regard to the 2015 year, couples will be reinforced. The pairs that have changed I think they have done it for the better. And, facing the public, all changes come well and people like them. With respect to the competition, I think it is reinforced because we are going to have more level of paddle. I only hope that there is stability in the pairs so that there is not much change in the middle of the year, like the ones we lived this past season.
You have suffered the hegemony of Bela and Lima ... Do you think that next year you can start doing more damage?
That is a bit our work, try to beat them some time. I think so, it's going to be more competitive and we can make them lose some game. Hopefully. This year the truth is that they did very well in spite of having all the problems of Pablo's injuries. I think that Bela and Lima knew how to manage it very well. But we hope to be able to face them, although it will be difficult.
Let's talk now about 2015. How has the year been next to the Sevillian sporting level? Did you miss raising some more title, you stay with that thorn?
The truth is, I would have liked to raise some more title. Although we made six finals and were close in some tournaments, like in Valladolid, we would have loved to raise some more titles.
How did you take when Paquito Navarro told you after the Madrid Open that he wanted to play with Sanyo this season? You were looking for a longer term project ...
Well, I thought we were going to form a more long-term project, yes; but these things of the paddle are like that, they are things that happen and that have to be assumed. Luckily I reacted quickly and the same day that Paquito told me, I called Maxi and closed. I would have liked to continue with the Sevillian, but hey ...
The first you thought was Maxi Sánchez ... Why?
Because he is a player that I like, I think he plays a lot and I think that among the players of padel is little valued. I think you can get a spectacular performance to what you are doing.
What has been the best and the worst of playing with Paquito?
The best thing, that playing with someone so young was a new experience. I knew him more deeply than I knew him from the outside and, the truth, I really liked him as a person and as a couple as well. The worst thing is the temperament he has on the court.
How did you handle the moments when Paquito 'leaves' the game mentally?
I have played with many couples who have difficult temperaments and over time I have learned to cope. I learned to turn that around and make myself stronger. I learned to know how to take my partner to a good port. Sometimes it's hard to take more than others, but hey, you try. And I think it went pretty well in general throughout the year, in fact we were as couple two.
That jump in the ranking, is it without doubt the greatest achievement of the year?
Yes, indeed. We had a very good first half of the year and a not so good second half. We would have liked to give more but, for different reasons, in that second part of the year we could not ... But, well, the final result was to end up as a 2 couple, something that I had never achieved.
How has Matías Díaz improved technically this year?
Technically I have introduced more variations in my game: the forehand with more topspin, I have learned to play further back… Aspects that we also owe to the coach. For this year I want to continue to improve and become stronger alongside Maxi. I really want and am very motivated.
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