The Rise of Maria Magraner

Welcome to Padel Smash Academy, the go-to podcast for all things Padel! In today's exciting episode, your hosts Cesc and Julian sit down with a special guest, Maria Magraner, a rising star in the world of Padel. Hailing from Spain, Maria's journey is nothing short of remarkable. Having grown up playing tennis, it wasn't until her move to Florida that she discovered her true passion for Padel.

Maria's career took a significant turn when she was drafted in the PPL. Now, she trains rigorously in Spain, and her dedication has paid off spectacularly. We'll dive into her inspiring journey from being ranked 93rd to breaking into the top 10 in the Padel rankings. How did she make such a phenomenal leap? What challenges did she face along the way? Maria opens up about her experiences, strategies, and the mindset that helped her climb the ranks.

But that's not all – stick around for the highlight of our show, the 'Golden Point Questions' segment. Will Maria survive this rapid-fire round where we put her on the spot with some of the most challenging and fun questions?

Whether you're a Padel enthusiast or just love a good story of determination and success, this episode is a must-listen. Join us on Padel Smash Academy to get your dose of inspiration and inside scoop from the Padel world! 🎾🌟🔥

Smash that subscribe button, share your thoughts and reviews, and don’t miss out on the riveting discussions and inspiring guests only on the Padel Smash Academy Podcast! Keep your passion for padel alive and see you on the court! 🚀🎾

Follow Maria: https://www.instagram.com/mariamagrau/

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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.

Welcome to Padel Smash Academy.

We

are all things Padel.

Hello everyone.

Welcome to another exciting
episode of Padel Smash Academy.

Today, we're so excited to have the top
10 female player in the United States.

Please let me introduce
you Maria Magraner.

Thank you guys.

Happy to be here.

Thanks.

Well, welcome for coming.

And, uh, why don't you tell us
a little bit about yourself?

Uh, where are you from originally?

So I'm originally from
Spain, from Valencia.

And so how did, how did you
get here in, in, in Miami?

I know, a big transition.

So when I was about 17 years old, I
got a tennis scholarship to play for

Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

And I traveled there at that age
and I did a biomedicine, um, career.

I spent four years there while
being on the tennis team.

And, and that's it.

And then I graduated in 2021.

With a biomedicine degree and I moved to
Miami so you've always played tennis and

that was your sport record sport, correct?

Did you ever play Padel?

Be prior to that.

So yeah, since I was really really young.

I I was completely focused on tennis
I had to you know work really hard in

this sport to to to try to achieve the
best results that I could in order to

travel here and get the you know, the
sponsorship and the and the scholarship

so That's, that's when, when it all
began, but never Padel in the beginning.

So when were you introduced to, to Padel?

So surprisingly, even though I was
in Spain, I had never played there.

Honestly, it was when I, when
I moved here that Padel was

starting to, to grow a little bit.

Nothing crazy like now, but it was,
you know, starting to kick in, in

this country and especially in Miami.

You know, I think because of the weather
and everything, Florida was the first

state that started to implement the sport.

So I just had a few tennis players
that were friends of mine that

were just playing for fun too.

And, you know, I started just playing,
you know, every now and then just as a

hobby, nothing, nothing too competitive.

And what was the trigger point?

What makes you said, Okay, I
want to do this the best I can

and I want to be a professional.

So, after playing, you know, for fun
for a while and just playing a few,

like, club tournaments here and there,
the Pro Padel League started last year

and I was drafted for the Toronto team.

And after the PPL ended, that's
when I went to Spain and I decided

to, to practice, um, competitively
and, um, train at a higher level.

So tell, tell us that, that
whole experience from, from, you

know, the PPL, how did you got
involved, the draft and all that?

Tell us how, how was that experience?

So I remember just one day seeing an
account on Instagram that had like.

Pretty much no followers, that
was called pro paddling, and

I'm like, okay, what is this?

You know, like, is this a scam?

Like, pro paddling here in the U.

S.?

What's, what's happening?

And, and I asked my friends,
like, hey, what is this?

You know, what's, what's, what's,
what's the deal with this?

And everyone just applying.

So my friends, you know, from
the pile community were applying.

So I was just like, okay, I'll
apply to at that point in time.

I wasn't really involved in,
you know, competition that much.

I would only play the tournaments
here in Miami, but nothing crazy.

So I just applied just just to see,
you know, I was what was going on.

I thought it was a very exciting
opportunity for me to to get

involved in the in the sport.

And, and yeah, I applied in the draft,
I filled out the application, and a few

weeks later They released the the drafted
players and I was drafted for Toronto.

So that was exciting and you got that
magical call Maria You've been chosen

Unbelievable.

Well, tell us that experience.

So you got drafted and then what is next?

What was next?

And so we got drafted, you know,
the, the owner of the team and the

manager of the team contacted us.

They pretty much explained what, because
we never knew what, what was the deal.

You know, we were completely
clueless as the players.

So they reached out to us and they
explained, you know, what was the BPL,

how it was going to work, you know,
who was going to play, et cetera.

So.

It was held in Tampa and we all
traveled there, so the travel

expenses were all covered by the
team that you would play for.

And then, you know, there were different
teams and we competed against each other.

But I didn't really get the
chance to play on court.

I was part of the team but
never played and I think that's

when the switch happened.

Good.

Excellent.

So, but you, did you
actually get to play or not?

So no, I was part of the team, but it
was, I never played for the, for my team.

Good.

I never competed against,
against the other teams.

Good.

But I mean, the experience was there.

You were playing with, you know,
practicing with the players and all that.

Yeah.

The experience was great.

So when you, when you got there and
you had the experience, you saw all the

players there, did that motivate you
a little bit to say, Hey, look, I want

to take that a little more serious?

Absolutely.

Um, I, everything that I do, I try
to be the most successful that I can.

So, being there and not being able
to play was bothering me, you know?

Knowing that I had the potential
to possibly, you know, raise

my level and, and, you know, be
competing with, with, along with

all the other players, you know?

So that's when absolutely when
when the switch happened that it I

got the motivation inside of me to
just say okay Let's let's take this

seriously, you know, and that's when
you went back to Spain and start

training You know start training hard.

Tell us a little bit about
that that transition.

How many hours did you play?

Where did you train and all that?

So yeah after the PPA ended I that was
around June and I think I went home in

July and I joined this Academy in Valencia
called Belmont Academy and I practiced

for about two hours, four times a week,
and then one hour of conditioning after.

So, that was a game changer for me.

That's when I started playing Padel
instead of tennis on a Padel court.

But, yeah, I, I, I think that's when,
when the, the, Changing my game.

Kind of like, you know, kicked in.

So what was the most difficult
part in that transition?

Because as tennis players, there's,
you know, some of the aerial shots

that are different or unique to Padel.

Um, obviously the walls.

So what were the areas that
was most difficult for you?

So yeah, like before then, before
practicing, um, I would just do like

whatever I thought was, you know, right.

Just using my it.

Talent from from tennis and and you
know, my I pretty much just coach myself

since all the way until until then and
Just hitting the balls every time we

for before, you know, they would touch
the wall just typical tennis And for

me, I think the most difficult was Kind
of like making that switch in my mind.

I'm like, okay, it's better if you
just let the ball go by and just,

you know, that's the essence of the
sport and the essence of para and

I think that was the hardest for
me, you know, but it was mental.

It was more like, hey, just let them go.

And then one day I was, I mean, when I
got to the academy, they, they realized,

you know, Hey, this is a tennis player.

Okay.

No glass, like absolutely no glass.

So we, I remember I, we did a drill
that it was just like, you can't hit

the ball unless it hits the glass.

It was a disaster.

Drama, drama.

Like, Hey, no, I hated it.

But it made me, you know, like aware that.

It's much better, you know, and
after a couple of balls, you know,

you get the hang of it and you have
way more time to hit the ball back.

It's just a completely different story.

The whole thing of
getting behind the ball.

Bending down, you know, my lower back
was like at that point, I could feel it.

How about your aerial shots?

Cause that's also different, uh, you know,
in tennis or in tennis, there's a smash,

but you know, in, in, in, in Padel,
there's a variety of, of aerial shots.

Uh, how, how was that transition?

Yeah, I, I like that point.

I think, um, The smash was
something that obviously came

naturally because of tennis.

But for me, it was more like, OK, if
I have to learn something, it's the

walls and the bandeja, because it's,
you know, what I don't have from tennis.

At the end of the day, you know, you
have the volleys, you have forehand,

backhand, you kind of like get But I think
that was also like a hard transition,

you know, going from, OK, I cannot
smash, just do a bandeja, you know?

Slow down the pace.

So how's your bandeja?

Is it good?

It's good, but I'm, you
know, working on that.

Working on that.

And the Rulo is probably good too.

Rulo is good, yes.

Tennis player Rulo Chiquitas are good.

Touch is good.

How about Viboras?

Vibora is good, but, um, I feel like
just tennis players we just try to

go too hard on everything, you know?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

It's changing that concept of hey, just
The bandeja that's slow and dies in

the glass is perfect, you know, that's
what you want and it's it's hard once

you're there with all the adrenaline
in the middle of the point just going

like Boom, you know, it's kind of like a
whole change in your, in your mentality.

Beautiful.

Beautiful.

Good.

So tell us about the tournaments
that you're playing now and

who you're playing with.

So I'm currently playing with Ana
and we're going to play Ana Cortiles.

And her ranking?

She's top 10 too.

So now is that your official partner?

It's official.

It's official.

Ana Cortiles, official.

Let's go.

We're actually looking for
sponsors for, for next year.

So for next season.

Let's talk about sponsors.

Who is your sponsor right now?

Right now for equipment, I'm with Wilson.

I'm really lucky to have them as, as
the, you know, my, my equipment support.

They offer me pretty much everything.

Clothes, bags, um, Padels, everything.

But I still think that the
sponsorship market here in the U.

S.

is still lacking some for players
that are, that are, you know, At the

end of the day, you have really good
women Padel players and also men that

are, you know, raising their level
and putting a lot of hours to, to,

to achieve, you know, a high level.

So I think, you know, it should
be like a market that brands and.

Um, business should, should
invest in because it's, it's,

has a high potential to grow.

In the, in the current Padel market,
can you make a living by playing Padel?

Absolutely not.

So you, yes, depend on It doesn't matter
if you're number one or two or three.

Um, it's, the, the price
money is, is really low.

So unless you're in a world Padel
tour, maybe top five and you have to,

well, top ten because you get sponsors.

But in the top five and you're
winning, you know, between prize money

and sponsorships, it's, it's, it's
difficult to make a living, right?

It's really difficult.

And I think even when you're playing
Warpile Tour and Premiere, like you

get the most amount of revenue that
you get yearly is from sponsors, you

know, because At the day, you're, you're
basing your living off how many rounds

you advance to, you know, and if you
don't advance that many rounds in one

month, well, what do you do, you know,
how many tournaments do you play a year?

An average?

So that's a tough question.

But I think it depends because
there's months that there

are there aren't that many.

But ever since I started in September
playing with Anna, I think we played

like Seven or like counting the ones
that are coming on average maybe it's

like 15 to 15 20 There's there's a
lot but you cannot play all of them,

you know, there's So let me ask you
a question if if you had, you know an

option or choice of getting a sponsorship
What would you want them to cover?

I mean, what is the desired
thing you want them to cover?

so I think at least they should cover
travel expenses because I mean how if

you're not making enough money, even
if you get first place in a tournament

to make a living monthly, how are you
going to travel to play more tournaments?

I mean, yeah, you have to finance it
yourself, you know, but that limits the

growth of Padel, you know, it limits.

The motivation, there's no motivation
because, you know, you're like, okay, I'm

going to achieve number one, but I'm still
not going to get travel expenses covered.

So on average, how much do you
players like yourself spend on

travel, food and obviously, um,
housing when you're at your location?

I mean, I think on average, you
probably spend 500 easy on in a

tournament, you know, and How many
tournaments do you do a month?

If I played, um Seven or six.

I mean, it's a lot of
money, you know, right?

So let's make a call here on the
channel for listening to the viewers.

If you love Padel and if you love, if
you want to make Padel growth in the

United States, you want to invest money
and you want to invest in the future of

Padel, Maria Graner and professional
Padel players, they need your help.

So they're going to be promoting
your brand in the shirts

and the Instagram accounts.

Facebook accounts, Tiktok,
Snapchat, all of them, please

support our players to make Padel
growth here in the United States.

We need your support.

Take his word.

Dig deep in your pocket.

So they need it.

And we need it too.

We need a sponsor as well.

It will benefit all of us.

And if you are a brand trying to promote
a sport or health or anything like that.

Padel is a great way to promote the
sports and Padel players, professional

Padel players, they really need help.

It's a win to win.

It's a win win situation.

Good.

So, uh, tell us about the, the,
the, the pro Padel league.

So what's coming up on 2024?

So 2024, the draft, I think, so I
applied already for the draft for

next year, and the draft is coming,
I think the 17th of this month or

something like that, if I'm not wrong.

So, but this year the
level is really high.

They have been contacting a
lot of pro Padel players from

Europe, from all Padel tours.

It's harder for the players that
are here that don't have permanent

residence or citizenship to be able
to participate or compete against,

you know, those international players.

So let's talk about that a little bit.

Is that a new rule or let's go over
the regulations, the rules of the PPL,

like who can be on the team, American,
internationally resident, those things.

So I believe each team has to have one
American player and then they can choose.

up to two international
players, um, men and women.

So I think the total would be four
for men and women, international.

So then it becomes really limited
for the players that are here

that don't have that, you know,
citizenship or residence, permanent

residency status in order to compete.

So you're saying anybody that's
a resident or permanent resident

can't participate in the PPL?

You can.

But then you figure as international.

So you're competing against, you know,
all the World Padel Tour players that

they can offer the contract to, you
know, it's less, less chance that

you're going to be able to get, if
I would be a citizen, I would have,

you know, much, much higher chances.

And I heard that, you know, I was looking
in Instagram, the portal bears are hiring

really top quality international level.

They've been stepping it up.

Yeah, they stepped up the game.

So it now doesn't mean that you have
to play with the portal polar bears.

You're a free agent.

You can go with anyone.

I'm free.

I can do whatever.

Um, currently, yeah, it's, it's, I
think they call it, um, free agent.

So you can be drafted with.

The draft is going to be on
the 17th, 18th of November.

So, next week, pretty much.

There's like an event for Pro
Padel League, I don't know

if you've seen, in San Diego.

Yes.

Where some of the players
are going to be there.

And I think that's when the
draft is going to happen.

He's gonna be there, he's
gonna be witnessing . . Yeah.

Pretty much, yes.

Good.

Excellent.

Good.

So if you had to choose, uh, any
franchise to play for, who, who would

you wanna, who would you wanna play for?

Uh, that's a tough question.

They're, they're watching
up there, you know,

Um, I honestly would,
don't have a preference.

I think I, I would love to.

Get that opportunity on.

I would value a lot.

Whoever, you know, shows my progress
on my level to be part of their team.

I think it's not only based on
power, but also the culture of

the team is really important, too.

So coming from a tennis background
and being part of a college tennis

team, I think that the leadership
of the team and the values of its

team is very, is very important.

So I would appreciate honestly.

Um, any team that puts a trust in me.

Wow.

Awesome.

Nice.

And uh, what side do you play?

You play left or right?

Right now.

. . Like, all right.

Huh?

Change.

Uh, they made me do it . They made you
do it, but you know, that made, I think

probably made you, your whole player
because that's what happened to me.

You know, I played mostly left and then,
uh, you know, I played that for a while

and then I moved to the right and I,
now I have more appreciation to that Dr.

Drive and I learned a lot more, you know.

Is that the same as for you?

Totally.

Or, or why did you shift over?

No, totally.

Totally.

For me, it was.

It was a big change in my game completely.

I I always went to the left side.

Just I don't know why.

Honestly, I just thought that,
you know, with much much I would

be super aggressive from tennis.

But at the end of the day was it was
it was giving me less of a chance

because they would get the ball back.

You know, at that kind of level when you
Grow your level, they, it's not enough.

And at that point in time I didn't
have the bandha, you know, so it

wasn't working for me that side.

But I never got the chance to realize,
and it was in the academy in Valencia

when I, when I was practicing.

And then the coach, our coach
was there and Anna was there

also practicing on court.

And it was like a few days
before we would fly back here.

So they were like, before we had
all the tournaments here in the us.

So they were like, I think
you guys should switch.

So, I was like, that makes a lot of sense.

You know, like when you, you've
never talked about that, about

that, but you're like, yeah, like.

So you're saying at the time,
uh, Anna was playing the right

and you were playing the left?

Yes, the whole time, the whole time.

Wow.

So I was like, okay, let's see
how this goes, you know, like

completely different story for me.

So the next day we played a match
and I played on the right side and

it was a completely different story.

I mean for the good or for the bad?

In that first match was a little bit
of a wake up call, like hey, like

there's a lot of things that you need
to think differently here, you know, not

necessarily bad, but just an adjustment.

Yeah.

So I was like, Oh my God, like, I
feel like I'm not doing anything.

I remember having that
conversation with her.

She's been playing, you know, right
side her, pretty much her whole career.

So she was like, no, that's normal.

Um, that's, that's how you feel, but
you're setting up the whole point

so that I can finish, you know?

So it was kind of like that change
of mindset of playing strategic,

playing to, to work the point, you
know, and establishing a strategy

for the other person to, to start.

Being more aggressive.

So it was an adjustment for sure good.

I know you're happy with the move a lot
Yeah, very very I think it helped us a lot

as a team and I think I'm a better player
on the right side We always tell everyone

in Padel, you know, it's it's not what
I want on what size do I want to play?

it's what best for the capital or what's
best for the team because I mean you

have to be Use your strength and your
weaknesses on the right side and you will

make a huge, you know, difference there.

Now, do you think you'll ever
go back to the left side?

Never say never, never say never, but
I am pretty happy with the right side.

So I think I'm, I'm going
to stay there for a while.

Fantastic, fantastic.

Well, at the end of the interview.

We'll, we'll shoot you a,
it's a one answer question.

There are 10 questions that you gotta
give a rapid answer and, and tell us

exactly what you think from your gut.

From your gut, from your gut, okay.

Oh, that's exciting.

I don't like that . Alright,
first, first one.

First one.

We, we, yeah, we call it
the golden point question.

So this is it at the end of the, you know.

Alright.

So first one, what's your best shot?

My best shot is my backend
volley down the line.

Your favorite rack.

Wilson, Bella.

Favorite Padel player?

Professional, professional.

Tapia.

Golden point.

Do you take it or you
give it to a partner?

Give it to my partner.

Worth it to experience.

Anad remember get ready
for that golden point.

What's your worst shot?

My worst shot is probably the bandeja.

Your favorite trick shot?

Drop shot.

Drop shot?

To the fence.

Okay, I got a big one for you here.

What do you prefer?

Tennis or Padel?

Right now, Padel.

I like it, I like it, I like it.

And the final questions of the night.

Who is your favorite partner?

Ana Cortiles, for sure.

Ana, like us, share it.

Comment.

Alright, Maria, thank you for
joining us at Padel Smash Academy.

We want to wish you all the luck possible.

Thank you so much, guys.

Thank you.

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