Padel continues to be the fast-growing sport in the Middle East, which is why G.O.A.T, FERNANDO BELASTEGUÍN, has just opened Egypt’s first professional padel centre.
ESQUIRE: Reflecting on your career, you were World No. 1 for 16 years and won 230 titles. Looking back, what do you think set you apart and made you the GOAT of padel?
Fernando Belasteguín: Instead of celebrating, I always focused on what I had done wrong during the tournament so that on Monday I could start working on it with the next one in mind. I kept that mindset until the very last day of my career, and I believe that is the key reason why I managed to be world number one for 16 years and continued winning tournaments until I was 43 and a half.
ESQ: Padel has grown tremendously worldwide in recent years, especially in regions like the Middle East. What do you think are the key factors driving this rapid expansion?
FB: As I said many times in 2024, the year of my retirement, padel is the sport of the future. It’s easy, fun and social. You don’t need great physical condition or perfect technique to enjoy it from day one. Children can play it, adults can play it, men and women can play it. It has all the ingredients to become the sport of the future. And in countries where it is newly discovered, it is growing incredibly fast.
ESQ: You recently opened the BELA Padel Centre, Egypt’s first professional padel centre. What attracted you to the region, and what is your vision for the academy?
FB: The idea behind Bela Padel Centre is to teach both children and adults the values that sport taught me. That is my mission for the years to come: not only to help develop padel, but also to educate through sport at every Bela Padel Centre. Egypt is a country that, ever since discovering padel, has grown a lot. It makes me very happy to have the Bela Padel Centre brand there, in such an exclusive location as Palm Hills. But the philosophy is exactly the same as in Barcelona, Alicante or anywhere else: the essence of Bela Padel Centre is the same everywhere.
ESQ: For young players aspiring to reach the top, what key tips or philosophies would you pass on from your decades of experience?
FB: I would tell them the same thing I tell my children: study, and practise sport. And treat every single day as if it were your last. Whatever you do, do it to the fullest, because that is the greatest reward you will take with you, whether you become a professional athlete or not.
ESQ: Your partnership with Richard Mille seems deeply personal, reflecting a shared passion for performance, attention to detail and family values. How has this collaboration influenced your approach to pushing boundaries, both on and off the court?
FB: A brand like Richard Mille has been incredibly special for me. One thing is to know the brand from the outside, with its remarkable image and the aspiration everyone feels to one day own a Richard Mille. But what surprised me most was discovering that behind such a great brand there is a wonderful family: humble, hardworking and warm. They made me feel part of the family, not just part of the brand, as if they had known me my whole life. For me, that is the most important thing. And seeing the number of athletes who have represented Richard Mille over the years, and now seeing myself among them, is a huge personal honour.
ESQ: You’ve mentioned wanting to bring innovations to padel, such as applying watch technology to racket design. Can you elaborate on this vision and how it could change the game?
FB: One of Richard Mille’s special characteristics is the precision and lightness of their watches. And I think in padel, which is becoming an increasingly fast sport, we could borrow some of that thinking to design rackets that are a little lighter, without losing the performance we need.
ESQ: Looking ahead, can we expect to see more Bela Padel Academies in the region?
FB: The idea is to take Bela Padel Centre from Barcelona to the world. This region is a major objective for us because we believe we can contribute greatly, especially in educating both children and adults through sport.
ESQ: Beyond your incredible career, what continues to motivate you today, and how do you see the future of padel globally?
FB: I see the future of padel as very bright. For me, padel is the sport of the future, and I will never get tired of saying that. What continues to motivate me every day is the same thing that motivated me when I was a professional player and ever since I was a child: my family.