Belasteguín and Galán, two generations of a sport without restraint: "In my house it is not known if I play paddle tennis or am an office worker"

It is likely that in these weeks you have passed them on the street and you have not noticed.

And that when someone shows themselves in their underwear, it is normal that they do not go unnoticed.

"I have three children and he gave me a bit of a thing. When photos of my friends from all over Spain began to arrive I said: 'Wow, what a campaign," recognizes EL MUNDO

(Pehuajó, Argentina, 1979), living legend ( and still thriving) of paddle tennis, which has served as a model for Intimissimi Uomo.

"I am quite a shy person. I have very good friends, but they take advantage of the minimum. They have been giving me wax for a few days, although the photos are very cool," says

(Madrid, 1996), who has also posed in his underwear for the Italian firm, as shown by some marquees in big cities.

The fact is that both, rivals on the court, are the image of Intimissimi Uomo.

And that is very good news.

"That a multinational like this uses paddle tennis players to appear on the marquees is something spectacular for paddle tennis," celebrates Belasteguín.

When Ale was born, Bela had been a professional in her country for two years.

I was going to be a footballer, but ... "I am from a town in the province of Buenos Aires (Pehuajó). I was central and the great teams (Boca, River, San Lorenzo) came to look for those who scored goals. I was going to stay playing in my town. But as a paddle tennis player I started to travel throughout Argentina. What was my hobby became my profession for 26 years, although I still carry that soccer player in my heart ", recalls Fernando,

fan

and, in the last 14 years, because of

, also a Barça fan.

His first shovel was bought by his father, who paid for it in 12 installments.

At the age of 15, he was already (more or less) clear what his profession was going to be.

"I never imagined everything that happened to me, but it happened to me and I have worked hard to achieve it," he says.

Alejandro, leader of the 2020 ranking, since the usual is frozen by Covid, paddle tennis also conquered him when he was just a child: "We had a court in the urbanization (Leganés) and the children went down to play thinking it was tennis Only with walls. It was a field with concrete walls and the shovel was bigger than me. "

Her sister

(1992), who is part of the women's circuit, was a motivation to remain firm in her commitment to being a professional.

"I was little and said: 'If my sister can, I have to do better.' And that healthy bite between brothers was what motivated me to work hard and take it seriously. I also wanted to stand out and, luckily, we have achieved both, "admits Ale, as everyone knows him, who left his studies to take advantage of a scholarship with which he could fulfill his dream.

"I come from a very humble family and I did not want to miss out on the scholarship. I was very clear that I wanted to dedicate myself to this."

"I take care of myself more every day"

Obviously it is not the same to play with 41 years, which are the ones that Belasteguín has, than with the 24 that accompany Galán.

So the routines can't be the same either.

"I train from Monday to Saturday, from 8.30 am to 2.00 pm. I eat and rest a little bit. I am no longer old enough to do a double shift. I take care of myself more every day to remain competitive, but you lose something every year. keep up with all those boys ", confesses Bela, fifth in the 2020 Race, whose partner on the track, his compatriot

, is 20 years younger:" His dad is younger than me. "

Alejandro trains in a double session of an hour and a half each.

"There are three hours of paddle tennis, unless there is a game, and then two hours of daily physicality. I also complement with the nutritionist, the sports psychologist and the physio. At the end you are all day thinking about your sport and taking care of yourself," he details.

He has known his current partner

(first number one born in Spain) since he was seven years old: "We have been together all our lives, although he is from the Port. When he came to play in Madrid we had the same coaches and we have a lot of affection for each other" .

Can you live on paddle tennis?

For 16 years and eight months, Belasteguín was an immovable world number one.

Until the injuries - elbow tendon (2018) and Achilles tendon (2019) - forced him to abdicate, after that long and successful story that it will be difficult for anyone to match.

A story that, however, does not go beyond the doors of his home.

"If you enter my house I don't have any trophies. I give them all. You don't know if I play paddle tennis or I'm an office worker. I considered that at some point in my life I was going to have children and I didn't want them to grow up in the environment of a champion The three of them play tennis, because I wanted to be educated in a different sport than mine. "

Even so, it is clear that time will put things in their place: "Fer, my oldest son (12), already asks me to play paddle tennis more and more. So, everyone will end up doing it."

Both Bela and Galán are part of the elite.

But, can you live on paddle tennis?

"The players in the top 8 are the ones who live purely to compete. There are others who need to teach or supplement to earn more money. Those of us who are at the top, between sponsorships and prizes, if it goes well, we can live. But we have to keep growing. The paddle still does not have the roof close, "reflects Ale.

"You can live more and more. But it depends on whether you have a family or not. I have lost many times. I have won and I have been number one. But what gives me the most pleasure is training every day as if it were the last. to all those boys who are beginning to live it ", advises Belasteguín, the player with the most titles in history, who does not think about his end.

"I will continue until the body endures."

He has been a direct witness to the growth of this sport in Spain in number of courts, clubs and fans.

It arrived 21 years ago, when Galán, today his adversary, was a boy.

"It has not stopped growing, but there is still much to do. You have to copy and paste all the things that tennis does well and give paddle time, which is still very young. In 10-15 years it will be the sport of the future" .

"It is more spectacular, more fun and more social than tennis", says Ale, who even dares to challenge Nadal to a match ... of paddle tennis: "I am sure that tennis would not give anything of war".

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