Phoenix 24
The same four players returned to the court, but retirement transformed defeat into a playful rematch.
BARCELONA, SPAIN
Fernando Belasteguín experienced an unexpected sense of déjà vu during a training session at his Barcelona padel centre. The retired Argentine partnered once again with Tino Libaak, while Javi Garrido and Lucas Bergamini appeared on the opposite side of the net. Those were the exact pairings from the final professional match of Belasteguín’s career.
That farewell occurred at the Milano Premier Padel P1 in December 2024. Garrido and Bergamini defeated Belasteguín and Libaak 6-3, 6-4 in the round of 16, ending the Argentine’s three-decade professional journey. The occasion became memorable not simply because of the result, but because his opponents struggled to celebrate after eliminating one of the sport’s defining figures.
Almost two years later, the atmosphere was markedly different. The four players met for training rather than tournament competition, and no official score was published. Garrido nevertheless admitted that Belasteguín and Libaak had convincingly outplayed them, joking that if the Milan encounter had ended similarly, the former world number one might still be competing professionally.
Belasteguín also displayed a tactical adjustment. Bergamini noticed that the Argentine was using the víbora more frequently than during the final years of his career. Belasteguín explained humorously that he now lacked the leg speed needed to retreat into position for his customary bandeja, making the more aggressive shot a practical alternative. The change illustrates how an experienced player can compensate for reduced mobility through anticipation and technical adaptation.
The session carried no ranking points, prize money or official consequence, yet it revealed that Belasteguín’s competitive instinct remains intact. He spent 16 consecutive seasons as world number one and won more than 200 professional titles, establishing a standard of tactical discipline and consistency that shaped modern padel.
The coincidence of teammate, opponents and setting transformed an ordinary training session into a reflection on competitive identity after retirement. Belasteguín no longer needs results to validate his career, but he continues studying the game, modifying his technique and testing himself against active professionals. Retirement ended his participation in the circuit, not the habits that made him its dominant figure.
Lo visible y lo oculto, en contexto. / The visible and the hidden, in context.