Interview with Gaston Malacalza

Today we interviewed a great padel player, Gaston Malacalza, a professional padel player and also padel entrepreneur with his brand Malacalza Sport. We hope you enjoy this little questionnaire, and we thank Gaston for giving us his time.

• How long have you been playing padel?

Since 1989-90.

• Do you remember what your first game was and why you started playing padel?

With my brother Adrian one morning after we both came back from different clubs, hahaha. I was 15 years old and Adrian was 19, how crazy, we lost 6-0/6-1.

I started playing padel because it became fashionable, we got hooked and I was good at it. I was a soccer player as a kid, and the sport runs in my family.

• You are one of the most veteran experienced players on the circuit, how long have you been a professional player and how long do you see yourself competing at the highest level?

I’ve been a professional player since 1993 and I see myself for a couple more seasons… I’m hoping for that and hoping for more.

• It is said that before becoming a professional padel player you had to make the difficult decision, to choose between boxing or padel. Which of those is true?

Boxing? Nothing in common… I was a soccer player and that was it… and then padel came along, and here we are still.

• You’re a player who stands out with your great stroke, for me the most powerful of the circuit. Do you think new technology in padel and faster balls are helping you or not?

(We think your hitting is just as effective with punctured balls and older rackets)

I’ve always been a strong player, training and strength helped me get even stronger, of course with wooden rackets and courts that weren’t fast, it was twice as hard… But a strong player can do it anywhere.

• Can you explain to our readers what Gaston Malacalza’s racket is like and how it could be improved (if possible)?

My G13Pro racket is a 100 x 100 round carbon, medium eva rubber. It is easy to use and responsive, if you use it to the maximum, there is a new G15Pro coming out soon that will be like it but with some new details.

Improvements? When you’re happy and your customers are happy, you think about improving the way they look more than anything else.

• Which of your colleagues would you highlight among all of them (I know it’s difficult, but one has to stands out) and why?

Matias Diaz in 2003-2004, sincerity, dedication, good background, friend, companion, tolerant, fighter, good person… 

• Which tournament do you remember as the most special and why?

There are several, but I’ll remember Melilla 2005: Lahoz -Jardim quarterfinal in 2 sets, Juan-Bela semifinal in 2 sets, and in the final we lost to Gutierrez-Auguste in 2 sets, because we were flying all over the court and playing like hell. Beating the number 1’s was only done by a few…

• • From all the tournaments of the professional circuit could you name the 3 events that you consider the best for you.

  The current one: some of those played in Argentina, Barcelona and Malaga.

  • A person like you with so many years of experience in the padel world, what do you think padel needs to become international?

  Time, television and a few countries like Germany and USA.

  • What rule of the game would you change if you could?

  None.

  • What would you change in the professional circuit?

  I would put another referee on the other side of the court.

  I would play all my matches on center court from the round of 16 onwards.

  • Which of your opponents gave you the most trouble and why?

  Several!!!! Hahaha there are and have always been rifts, bad feelings, rivalries, etc. But no one stands out more or less than the others…. There are several on the list! Generally, who you have no feelings with.

  • Your perfect player would have:

  Forehand… Gaby Reka.

  Backhand… Guillermo Lahoz.

  Volley… Juan Martin.

  Tray … Cristian Gutiérrez.

  Smash … mine, if possible.

  Defense … Seba Nerone.

  Head … Fernando Belasteguin.

  And the talent … Sanyo Gutierrez.

  • Do you have or have you ever had an idol in the world of padel?

  Yes, Alejandro Lasaigues.

  • And outside of padel?

  Yes, Michael Jordan, Diego Maradona and Roger Federer.

  • Your favorite food during tournaments?

  Pasta.

  • Do you have any addiction on the padel court? And off the padel court?

  Balls, grips, clothes… There are so many!

  • What car would you recommend to your friends?

  Mercedes Benz, the number 1 brand.

  • We follow you on social media and see that you are a player who is loved by fans and has a growing following. Could you dedicate a few words to your fans and followers?

  Yes, thank you very much everyone, because they help a lot and make the day to day very fun and enjoyable.

  Thank you, dear Juan Antonio, for this interview and for being a great guy, don’t change!

  Greetings to the world of padel!