La vida ha cambiado mucho para Fernando Belasteguín en estos últimos meses. Tras su retiro como el jugador más laureado de la historia del pádel, ha pasado a estar del otro lado de la pistas, ejerciendo ahora otro tipo de funciones en este deporte. Lo más reciente, su labor como director del P1 de Miami de Premier Padel disputado hace escasas semanas. Una prueba con valoraciones muy positivas tanto de aficionados como de los propios jugadores que participaron en ella.
Para hablar de esta nueva faceta y cómo está el circuito profesional, el de Pehuajó se pasó por el canal de VeinteDiez, donde respondió a todas las cuestiones sobre los temas más relevantes de la actualidad de este deporte.
Antes de entrar en materia, habló de su momento actual: “Estoy disfrutando del retiro. Echo la vista atrás y estoy contentísimo de lo que logré, cómo terminé y la decisión que tomé. Me fui 20 del ranking y jugando, pero hay que preguntarle a mi mujer si está tan contenta de tenerme en casa”.
Ahora no compite, pero sigue estando muy relacionado con este deporte, especialmente con el desarrollo de la prueba de Miami: “Ser director de un torneo es mucho más fácil que ser jugador. Ellos me lo pusieron verdaderamente fácil. Piden las cosas básicas de alimentación y comodidad”.
Tenemos licencia para torneos en Nueva York y Los Ángeles, pero hay que ir de a poco
Viniendo de una semana tan polémica como la de Chile, con el debate de si el pádel debe ser indoor o outdoor, Bela reconoce que fue uno de los culpables de que en Miami se jugara a cubierto: “Fue la única condición que puse”. Sin embargo, asegura que es necesaria la variedad: “Creo que hay torneos que tienen que ser outdoor, como Roma o París, para poder mostrar que el pádel llega a escenarios como el Foro Itálico o Roland Garros”.
El ‘Boss’ apunta a los Estados Unidos
Esta cita fue la primera vez que Premier Padel pisó el país norteamericano y el propio Bela ha hablado de las cifras de coste: “Organizar un P1 como el de Miami sale a cuatro millones de dólares y no se recuperan de inmediato. Los inversores saben que esto es de mediano y largo plazo”. El exnúmero uno ve con optimismo el futuro del pádel en tierras estadounidenses: “Estudios de empresas indican que en cinco años habrá cinco millones de jugadores”. Además, anunció que incluso podría haber pruebas en más ciudades: “Tenemos licencia para torneos en Nueva York y Los Ángeles, pero hay que ir de a poco”.
La nueva vida de Bela apoyando al crecimiento del pádel.
El de Pehuajó no solo se mostró contento e ilusionado con el crecimiento en Norteamérica, sino también en su país, donde cree que se conseguirá un gran hito. “El torneo de Argentina registrará el récord de espectadores en la historia del pádel”, dijo Fernando.
En cuanto a la situación actual del circuito, el ‘Boss’ fue claro: “No le podemos pedir al pádel que nos dé para vivir si no ganamos partidos: para ganar plata, hay que ganar”. Él, que vivió un momento mucho menos boyante de deporte, puso en valor lo que se ha conseguido: “Lo que más tenemos que destacar de esta etapa del pádel es la libertad que tiene el jugador. Es por lo que luchamos y hoy lo tenemos”.
Su mirada del circuito desde fuera
Ya no está dentro de la pista, pero sus años dentro de ella le sirven para ser una voz autorizada a la hora de hablar de los temas de más inmediata actualidad. Opinó de una de las parejas de moda como es la número tres del mundo, a la que ve con muchas posibilidades de dar guerra en lo más alto. “Cuando arrancó el año y vi que Stupa-Lebrón no se anotaron en exhibiciones dije: ‘Estos dos tienen muy claro el objetivo que persiguen'”, reconce el ‘Boss’.
El ‘Lobo’ y el ‘Rayo’ sufrieron en Chile contra otros de los nombres propios del comienzo de 2025, como son Tolito Aguirre y Gonzalo Alfonso, a los que Bela halagó sin reparo: “Asumieron dejar de ganar para ir a perder contra los mejores”. Además, opinó sobre su inscripción pese al boicot: “No me gustó cómo se castigó a Tolito y Gonza por haber jugado Gijón y Cancún. Ellos no son de la PPA. ¿Que igualmente terminan sacando ventaja de la situación? Eso pasó siempre”.
Yo no le hice ganar a Arturo sus primeros torneos: él me hizo ganar a mí los últimos
Se han tenido que adaptar al juego de Premier, muy diferente al de A1 y al que jugaba el propio Belasteguín en su época con Juan Martín Díaz, de quien dice que es el mejor de la historia. “Hoy se gana más la red tirado globo y avanzando con la volea que tirando la chiquita”, analiza el exjugador argentino.
Pese a todo, él siguió sumando victorias hasta el final de su carrera, aunque evita colgarse medallas: “Yo no le hice ganar a Arturo sus primeros torneos: él me hizo ganar a mí los últimos”. Todo un número uno que ahora ve desde fuera esa pelea, que todavía está lejos en el pádel masculino, pero que tiene más tensión en el femenino.
El ‘Boss’ opinó de la dupla de chicas que más revuelo está generando en el 20×10, como es la de Delfi Brea y Gemma Triay. Pese a que en Chile no pudieron llevarse el título, Fernando les ve con hambre para conquistarlo todo: “Tienen esa mirada que transmite ‘estamos acá y vamos a pelear por el número uno'”.
Su futuro en relación a la organización de más pruebas es una incógnita, pero tanto para seguir hablando de lo que sucede en la pista, como para impulsar el crecimiento del deporte, Bela seguirá siendo una de las personas más importantes del pádel.
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