Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Hey Padel enthusiasts welcome to Padel Smash Academy, I am Cesc and I am here with Julian and we're all about Padel! Whether you're new to the sport or an experienced player, you've come to the right place. Our goal is to provide you with the best tips & tricks, news, and weekly lessons to help you improve your game and take your Padel to the next level. So grab your Padel Racket and let's get started with all things Padel on Padel Smash Academy.
Hello everyone.
Welcome to Padel Smash Academy.
Today we're here at the PPL and we
have, uh, uh, what would you call it?
Uh, uh, Padel superstars, uh, uh,
podcast, uh, you know, superstars as well.
Britt Dovid.
Welcome to the channel once again.
Well tell us all about your
experience with the PPL and
who you play with and all that.
This year has been amazing.
Um, Brand new.
I feel like whole experience because
the teams are so much stronger.
So my partner was, uh, Lucia
signs or is Lucia signs,
former number one in the world.
I mean, currently I think
she's 14 in the world.
She's amazing.
And, um, just on the core,
I love being with her.
She's knows exactly what to say.
She knows strategy.
She knows how to also like keep me calm.
You know, I was a little nervous.
And also just pumped
me up at the same time.
So, um, that's who my partner is,
but we also have on the team, Miguel
Lamberti, legend, uh, Maxi Sanchez.
I mean, it doesn't get any better.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So, but let me ask you one thing.
Now you're still wearing the Miami
colors, but now you're playing for
the West coast, San Diego stingrays.
How does that feel?
So were you heartbroken when
you get Miami Padel again?
Or, or, I mean, Because that's
the team you kind of wanted to
remember last time we spoke, right?
Right.
You know, I'm from Miami, so
I wanted to to play for Miami.
Um, but you know, life happens.
Things don't always work out.
Yeah, yeah.
And I think the bigger picture is I really
wanted to still be a part of the PPL.
So the West Coast is still pretty sexy.
Right, right, right.
I mean, California, we
love California, so.
So let's talk about your journey.
I mean, we interviewed you
almost, what, a year ago, right?
So tell us a little bit about, uh, you
know, what you've done within that year.
I mean, the tournaments and
where you trained, the coaches.
The podcast, the podcast.
Yeah, the podcast.
Talk about your podcast, too.
You know, talk about your,
you know, your reels.
I love them.
Love to watch them.
They're really cool.
Yeah, I feel like you guys were with me
in like the very beginning, you know?
When I was talking to you guys, I was
still working in a normal job, um,
and it was sort of like a decision,
a period in my life where I was going
to make a big decision, you know, stop
working and really focus on Padel.
So I took that risk and
so far it's been working.
Um, I started to play full time
after the PPL starting in August,
my first fifth tournament and
slowly, you know, earning points.
Um, then I started to do a
little more with Instagram, you
know, create some funny reels.
We love it.
Yeah, we love it.
I hired my dad as an actor.
That was superb.
He deserves an Oscar or a Grammy for that.
And, yeah, and then,
um, was doing a podcast.
You guys inspired me.
There you go.
Um, Ben Nichols reached out, so the Padel
Movement, we started with a few episodes.
And it's kind of been, um, A
little bit on the court, you
know, with fifth tournaments.
I put my first premier event last month.
So that was insane.
Oh, you did.
You're playing a couple of go.
Wow.
Yep.
Tell us how, how was that?
Yeah.
Is my first time ever.
We were in the qualifying
and we had a tough draw.
We played the number two
seeds in the first round.
And we lost in three sets.
Who were the number two seats?
Carmen Castellon and Raquel Fletcher.
Fletcher?
Okay.
Brazilian girl.
Very, very good girls.
It was a tough match.
Tough conditions.
Because we played like at
two o'clock in the afternoon.
Super hot.
It like prepared us for this.
Because Miami is hot too.
Right.
Um, and, and yeah.
That, it was good.
Because, you know, then I
trained that, that week.
And was able to, uh, you know.
Get ready for Venezuela,
which was the week after.
Oh, you did Venezuela too?
Did Venezuela too.
Wow.
Played in the qualifying.
This time we won the qualifying.
So now I played in my first
ever main draw of a premier
with my partner, Aitana Garcia.
Very thankful for her, for
choosing me to play with her.
And, um, we were playing the first round.
We were up a set and it was 5 4.
And my partner, it's 5 4 5 4
serving down 5 4, but serving.
Okay.
And my partner, she was feeling sick
throughout the entire second set.
And at 5 4, she said, I'm done.
I can't.
She was throwing up
feeling dizzy, nauseous.
So It was a shame because we were playing
really well, it would have been, you know,
a dream come true to win the first round.
So what happened?
She just had a virus or sick or something?
I don't know if you know, well, yeah,
a lot of players in the Venezuela
tournament, um, had to retire.
Yeah, they said like 40
players, is that true?
Some crazy number.
Somebody brought in their virus
and got everybody, you know.
No, I think it was food
poisoning or something.
Yeah, I don't know if it was that, I
don't know if it was those crazy hot
conditions, mixture of both, but, um,
Yeah, we couldn't finish the match.
So, but overall it was an
amazing experience and you
didn't get sick though, right?
Yeah, I'm, I'm a warrior.
All right.
So how do you manage all of that?
I mean, you play Padel, uh, you're,
you're doing the podcast, you're
doing all this social media stuff.
How do you manage all that?
And what do you like the best?
So I think, um, you know, a little
time management, um, being organized
and, you know, knowing just to
do your best, you're not going
to be amazing at everything, but.
And I heard that you have a great team
right behind you doing all the work.
Who's that person?
You gotta give him some credit.
Give him some credit to that person.
My social media manager.
Oh my god, what's his name?
His name is Juan Agudo.
Juan Agudo.
Wow.
He's a boss.
He comes up with all the fun ideas.
Great, great editor.
Um, so shout out to him.
You guys make a good team there.
You guys make a great team there.
Yeah, I'm really thankful.
Yes.
So now that you started to play
professional, how difficult
and how expensive it is
and, and how does that work?
Tell us a little bit of the financial
part of becoming a professional Padel.
Yeah, it's, it's expensive, you know,
traveling to Venezuela, you know, I'm
based in Madrid, so going to Acapulco, a
lot of the FIP tournaments are in other
countries in Europe, played in Sweden.
Um, there's a, another Gira in May.
That's going to be in South America.
Yeah.
So, it can get expensive with
flights, with uh, food, with hotels.
Oh yeah.
So, you, do you get paid to win the
qualifying rounds of the premier?
How does that work now?
What is the prize money and all that?
So, yeah, there's, I'll
give you an example.
Um, right now my points
are relatively low.
So, I have about 65 points
and I'm currently ranked 143.
143.
Which I'm very happy about.
Good.
This happened since August.
Since last year.
Since last year.
So, so last year in 2020.
Last year I was zero.
Okay, okay.
You just first started.
Okay, great.
Yeah.
Now, did you reach your
goal, uh, you know, or?
Not yet.
Okay.
My goal, I would say, is to be top 100.
Okay.
That would be, um, really exciting for me.
But, you know, I'm on the,
I'm on the right track.
Yeah.
You know, it doesn't happen overnight.
Um, so I'm playing fifth tournaments,
and let's say a fifth rise tournament.
Which is the most common
one that they have.
So, in terms of prize money, the
winners of the tournament usually get,
I think, between 600 and 800 euros.
The winners.
Right.
So, that's divided in two?
No, that's per person.
Per person.
So, it's 1, 200?
Yeah.
Okay.
And, um, for the premier, um,
for losing in the first round in
Venezuela, um, it's about 600.
We're losing.
Okay, per player per player.
The winner of Premier.
I think it's around maybe 11, 000
or something like that, depending on
whether it's P one P two or a major.
I have to look at it, but there
is obviously much more money in
premier than the fifth tournaments.
But, you know, you have, you have to
play five tournaments to earn points
in order to qualify for Premier.
So the draws for the P1 and
P2 are relatively small for
the qualifying for girls.
Only 16 teams make it into the qualifying.
And I think it's about 20, 23
teams into the main draw with
four qualifiers and a couple of
wild cards or maybe one wild card.
So it's not really a lot of
teams in the Premier level.
So.
To give you an idea, the last person,
um, who gets in the qualifying, the,
you add up the two teams points.
So if I'm playing with
you, we add up our points.
Okay.
The total should be
around 800, 800 points.
And then you'll be the last team that
gets into a qualifying for a premier.
Right now I have 65 points.
Wow.
So you can see, my partner
either has to have 800 points.
Or we have to look for a wild
card or we have to still play FIPS
in order to eventually be able
to get into all premier events.
Wow.
So it's still very
difficult to really make it.
So now let's talk, I know
you have a brand new sponsor.
Yeah.
So let's talk about that, which I think
it's been a huge help for you, right?
100%.
I mean, Original Penguins.
Yeah.
We love their clothes.
Yeah.
And I think I'm the only one, you know, on
the Padel tour who How did that happen?
Because penguins, now it's in
tennis, but I didn't see them
really get into the Padel.
Is this their first venture?
Definitely, it's one of
their first ventures.
They're always in, um, tennis and golf.
And you know, Padel's been getting
so big that, um, I think we, we
wanted to create a partnership.
Okay, so how did that happen?
Did they call you?
You reached out to them?
How did that work?
Well, my dad teaches tennis too.
Oscar.
Okay.
Oh, okay.
So.
Who's Oscar?
Oscar is the CEO of Original Penguin.
Oh.
There you go.
Mr.
Oscar, you're a better nation.
Yeah.
Ross Stevens, my dad slash manager,
um, based on conversations with
him and it seemed like a project
that they were interested in.
So Miami girl, um, Original Penguin
has their big office here in Miami.
So it kind of just made sense.
So, what do they do?
Do they help you with clothing?
You know, help you a
little with traveling?
Exactly.
Great.
All my, all my gear and a
little financial help as well.
Oh, that's great.
So, really excited.
We love them.
This is part of their new collection.
I love it.
I love it.
You look great.
Yeah.
First of all, you said you're
playing with your partner now.
How does that process work?
I mean, who calls who?
You call your partner that you want to
play with her or how's the Process works
in the professional level right now.
I don't have like a set partner Okay, so
because of the points you kind of want to
like date around and see It's a good Good.
What do you call it?
You know Who you'll match with for
tournaments based on who signs up you'll
add up the points see if we'll get in Um,
and also I think it's good to you know,
not uh Always person in the beginning.
Um, until you guys both decide
to create like a project together
and do it more long term.
But right now, just because of the
points and the position I'm in, um,
I don't have a full time partner.
So sort of, I'll, I'll
message girls on instagram.
Um, sometimes I'll get messages and
yeah, so, so it's sort of, sort of
like part of the level that you're at.
It's sort of like an open relationship.
Sounds like a new app needs to be made.
Yes.
Yeah.
It's sort of like the Tinder
for professional Padel players.
That would be awesome
if there was a new app.
I'm on it.
Yeah.
Like looking for a partner.
A hundred percent.
So, but at a higher level,
it's more permanent or, or they
don't split as much, right?
Yeah.
I think like the top 20, 30 girls, they're
usually playing with the same partner.
Or if they switch, they're switching.
Okay.
I'm ranked 30.
I'll play with the girl.
That's ranked 28.
It's not like they're switching
for a girl that's ranked 140.
You don't see that every day.
So how do you determine, um, When you
don't have a good partner this partner's
like, okay, this is not gonna work.
Is there many different
attributes to that?
I don't I I feel like at this
point i've i'm thankful for every
partner i've had even if maybe they
haven't been As strong as I wanted.
I think it's also helped me
bring My game out, you know, I
have to make up for my partner.
So it's sort of like a learning
process and then just a conversation
and say, okay, maybe next tournament
I'm going to try with somebody else.
So is it just strength
or is it personality?
Is it, is it, if they're higher ranked
and you're a higher rank, is it, are
those factors involved when you decide,
okay, I'm going to play with that person?
Yeah.
I mean, the things I look for in a
partner, I definitely like a drive partner
because I like to play backhand side.
Okay.
So that would be like the
number one thing I look for.
Wow.
Um, I guess another thing is like,
yeah, they're, the way they are on the
court, like I am, I'm pretty fiery.
I get pumped up.
So I would like someone who also has
a little bit of, and if that Yeah.
Yeah.
We love that.
We love to see that.
Yeah.
You know.
Um, and if not, it's okay.
I'll bring it.
. So tell, tell us this week that, who did
you play with at the PPL and, and how was
it or how many matches you play and, yeah.
So, um, I played four matches.
Uh, we played against, we
started off very strong.
Um, who's your talk about that?
Okay.
So I played with Lucia Signs.
Okay.
And we played against the Flow Rider
Goats Wooah, um, which is Mafi and Sasu.
Uh oh.
This is strong.
It's a great match.
I saw.
That was awesome.
And also those girls are
Knox, part of the Knox family.
Yep.
Um, and it was honestly
the best win of my career.
Wow.
So.
I mean, they're a top 20, top 20 team.
Right.
And we won in the 10 point
tiebreaker for the third set.
So That was awesome.
Winning as underdogs.
Big time underdogs.
I think, I think, um, no one expected it.
So how many portreses did
you make in that match?
Cause you know, that's your favorite shot.
That's my favorite shot, yeah.
A lot.
It was, it was unbelievable.
Um, yeah.
And we ended up beating
them as a team, you know?
So we won 3 0.
The guys won in the mix.
What other match did you play?
Well, we played Miami.
Okay.
They only had the number
one player in the world.
Yeah, Ari Sanchez.
Ari Sanchez and Marco Talaban.
Yeah.
Both very solid girls.
Um, Marta, I know her from Madrid
because last year when I played in the
Madrid Federation, we played in the
semifinals of the Madrid Federation.
Final tournament.
Um, so that was exciting.
You know, I've never played against
the number one in, well, I guess I
did in the world championship I put
against Gemma, but I don't know.
It was, it was insane.
We, and I think we were
really competitive.
Like we lost six, three, six, three.
And, um, it was really good points.
Um, you know, this has just been a
crazy experience, you know, I good,
crazy, good, crazy, good, crazy.
And, um, you know, it's, it
was, I don't know, it was fun.
This question, I asked all
the professional players.
So when you play with these, these
top players, the Gemas and the Addie
Sanchez and all that, what do they,
what do they have that you don't have
what you need to come up to that level?
What, what is it?
They have, there is an extra
thing they have, right?
First thing I would say is experience
because those girls are playing
against top 20 girls year round,
which is something that I'm not,
Right now in the fifth tournaments,
we don't see top 20 top 50 girls,
maybe occasionally someone 60 80.
So that's one thing we just started
last year as a professional.
Yes.
And one year.
I think that would be a huge one.
Um, and then I think their level
of, uh, unforced errors is very low.
Um, and there's just certain shots
like, um, Ari Sanchez has to me,
one of the best forehand volleys.
Uh, inside in that just, she
like, knifes it very, very nice.
And then we played against the LA Beat.
So we played against Carolina
Orsi and Jessica Castillo.
Number 9 and top 25 in the world, I think.
And it's also, um, A lefty girl
playing, playing against a top 20 lefty
girl is something I'm not used to.
It's like a different spin.
All of a sudden the bandeja goes the other
direction and I'm like, Oh my God, I'm
just like Lucia yours, but maybe mine.
I don't know.
So yeah, I'm, I think practicing
at that level is, is what I would
like to do over the next year.
Do you feel the speed is different or not?
Do you depend on a higher speed or, or.
I mean, so that's a
that's a good question.
Like, I feel like I'm pretty aggressive
on my overhead, but maybe sometimes
in my volleys, I'm, I'm only making
it whereas they're like attacking it.
You're just defending it versus they're,
you know, I've seen La Cochilla, you
know, they're like slicing it down.
So it's very difficult for
you to defend in the back.
Yeah.
Yeah, or maybe the shots, you know, they
defend the shots every single shot almost.
Maybe not experience.
I know when I play higher level
player, it's like my shots not working.
They're defending everything.
Yeah.
So now I go plan plan B.
What do I have to do?
Yeah, but that's that's a lot.
Often you play higher level players.
That's true.
I would play against you.
That's why.
I need to play against higher levels.
You're right.
Yeah, I think that I
think that's part of it.
Like they get that extra
ball back or the defense.
They're really good off the walls.
Um, you could just tell she's so good.
natural on the court and She had an
amazing backhand down the line So I would
try to hit my Rulo and she would just come
in and didn't let it touch the Fence and
she would just knife it down the line.
So what do you do in those situations?
We're like, okay, that's not working You
know, I have to kind of go back to drawing
board I mean, what do you do mentally?
Because that's kind of tough sometimes.
Yeah, like looking back if I could
repeat I would say I would I should
maybe like even miss a couple to making
sure that it hits the fence Because
if I'm just making it cross court,
she's just, she was super comfortable.
So you gotta go right to the edge.
That would be one.
Or, sometimes bring the ball, instead
of going to the fence, bring it
to the middle and move her over.
So hit a bandeja towards the
middle to set up that other one.
So there could have been a little more,
like, strategy, but at the end of the
day, um, It was a tough match and she's
amazing and a lot of credit to that team.
So, so you, you being a Miami
home girl, uh, did you got a lot
of requests of players asking
you, Hey, what should we do?
Where should we go?
I mean, you know, Miami,
this is your city.
Did you get a lot of
requests from players?
Yeah, I got a couple, I got a couple
of DMs saying, what should we do?
Um, but I think also like a lot of the
owners, they kind of know some nice
restaurants and Thank you to our team.
We went on like a really
nice boat, sunset boat ride.
So thank you, Gabrielle, Ryan, Armando.
Cause that was so, so nice.
And also for like team bonding.
Um, yeah, I think that's what's
special about the stingrays is the
team is just so together, you know,
Lamberti took the time today to.
Basically, give me a private
lesson for half an hour.
Yeah, I was watching it.
Maxi Sanchez also giving me
tips on my forehand volley.
Lucia was basically our coach.
Yeah.
Um, and that, that's really nice
that they take the time to do that.
So, what's up for next week?
What, what's exciting?
Any, any, you know, tips
that you can give us?
Something happening?
Something juicy stuff happening?
More importantly, what is it
going to take for Stingray to
win next week the tournament?
Well, I think next week it's going to
be exciting because there's It's going
to be different teams in the sense
that some teams are losing players
and some teams are gaining players.
Teams have to be strategic
because I know that they pay a
lot of money to these players.
And I don't know if it's for the
entire season, for just one week.
They're trying to Be
smart about their budget.
So great.
Now, uh, last year you were with Knox.
Are you still with Knox this year?
I'm still with Knox.
All right.
Look at that prettiness.
This is my baby.
That's the ones you can
do portresas, right?
Yes.
The secret to all the portresas.
I'll imagine that's perfect.
It goes with your outfit.
Is that on purpose?
Exactly.
The collars.
So is this a lampretti racket?
This is Lamberti's racket,
ML10 Pro Cup Silver.
But his is a little bit different, right?
This is a little bit different.
Okay.
Um, but this is the original.
Okay.
Yeah.
And is this customized
specific for you or, or?
No, anybody can buy this racket.
So, technical question.
At a professional level, how
often do you change your racket?
So, to be honest, I don't
like to change it that often.
Okay.
I like it to be very soft, and that
only happens over, with a lot of use.
So I don't change it before six months and
maybe so have you tried other rackets that
may be a little softer or do you think
it'll start well and then it'll get worse?
Yeah, I, I, I feel like I've tried,
I've tried other rackets and I
always come back to this one.
I hear you, I hear you do the same
thing with the racket that I play with.
It's, I try all these ones but
I always go back to that racket.
Yeah, just to see what else is out
there and because I know there's,
you know, Padels that are supposed
to be for more power, more control.
So, this one is a little bit of both.
And I love it.
Yeah, and it's not too heavy.
So, check it out.
Well, I mean, what's next for you?
After this, what's next?
What's the next tournament?
So, next tournament, I might be playing
the USPA tournament, uh, in New York.
I might be playing that.
And then, um, looking at
the calendar for FIPS.
Hopefully playing another
Premier Tournament.
So, we'll see.
Well, Britt, thank you so
much, and we wish you all the
luck, and we'll stay in touch.
We are All Things Battle.