Do not miss the new interview that the team of the Spanish Federation has made with the players who aspire to represent our country in the XIIIº World Championship by National Teams. Veteran tanned in a thousand battles, the Madrid dreams of defending Spain in what could be his last World Cup.
Padel World Peress .- He's 45. He is a true legend of this sport and, week after week, he continues to delight fans with his undeniable talent… The same one that has led him to be considered one of the best players in the history of Spanish paddle tennis.
Based in Santander, but with businesses related to padel in Madrid and Valladolid, Willy has the desire to play again with the Spanish team to try to win the title that was resisted in the event held two years ago in Mallorca, in the who were runners-up after falling in the final against Argentina.
Do not miss this interview given to the FEP team… In it, the three-time Champion of Spain showed that he continues to have the same enthusiasm as the first day and wants to continue expanding his record.
Congratulations on being shortlisted… I guess I'm very happy to be on the list for another year?
The truth is, yes, because it is always a pride to be among those called up… And more so in a team with the number of new people that are coming out, in which I share a list with all those young people.
You have been champion with the Spanish National Team on two occasions, and one in pairs. How do you remember those Championships?
The truth is that most of them are very happy ... Some, with a bit of a bad taste in our mouths, because the title narrowly escaped us. That was the case with the last one, which was held in Mallorca. But hey, the World Cups are always the tournaments that players like to play. The Team Championships suppose a fresh air and in them it is enjoyed a lot, without forgetting the good atmosphere that is generated in this type of formats.
You are part of a great team, in which you combine veteran and youth. How do you see the selection this year compared to the previous edition?
I believe that in recent years we have always had a block to stand up to the Argentines and Brazilians and play them face to face… This year will not be an exception. Also, I think that combination of young people with other more experienced players is very positive. Still, in the end Spain, whoever goes, always has a team to aspire to everything.
Is it possible that this is the last World Cup in which we can see Willy Lahoz competing?
Logically, it should be yes ... But it is also true that after I went through that little depression at 36, where I said yes I was going to retire (partly motivated by a business I had in the making), I considered going day by day. day ... And since then a few seasons have passed. If I said now that I am going to retire, people would not believe it, so I have decided not to say anything and continue living in the moment. It is true that I am in a somewhat experimental phase, seeing how the physicist responds to me. If the injuries respect me, I will continue shooting.
As for the season, you fell in the first round in Gijón, however, after the first tournament you have not gone down to the knockout stages. How do you rate this year with Aday Santana?
The truth is, as I often say, sharing the track with Aday is a prize. He is a player who has a lot of talent and power… Although it is true that staying in the WPT Circuit is more and more difficult, because the young people have been pushing very hard, we have been able to meet the objectives. It was difficult for us to adapt a bit at the beginning since the tracks were very slow and the gate did not help so much, something very characteristic in our game. Little by little we have been adapting, changing the chip a bit and we have been going a little bit more. Now our goal is to maintain that role of Eight Couple in the Ranking, which will not be easy because the pairs 9 and 10 are very strong ... Let's see if we can withstand that tug of war.
In that mixture that you told me about youth and seniority, you are the longest on the list. Do you think you can contribute that experience and know-how in the most important moments?
When you go to a team tournament, you always try to contribute a little to what you say: contribute in the best way possible to the group, whether you play or if, despite being definitely summoned, you have to stay in the stands cheering. If you go, you know that with the experience you have, you must provide the youngest with that calm at some point, together with that knowledge of being and, in short, transmitting all that experience. The newest should not be afraid because in the end they will have many more opportunities to reach the objectives. What has to prevail above all else is that team feeling.
A wish that you have Willy facing the end of the season in which the World is also?
I will not deny that I would love to be on that definitive list. Although I have already taken the step of being preselected, the most important one is missing: that is to be definitely there. For this end of the season I want to respect the injuries and that we can defend that Eight Couple Ranking we have. There is still much left and we have to continue working every day so that things go well.
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 .
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