If 2020 was about reinventing itself, paddle tennis was getting it. The game of the shovel had managed to get well to the worst omens and would face a last stretch of the yr that was going to be, unquestionably, that of its vindication. All in 2020 with nice modifications -as analyzed within the first chapter-, which was going to be the perfect yr in its historical past -as described within the second-, which had suffered the stoppage on account of confinement and the pandemic -as outlined within the third – and that he flew again underneath a closed gun – as was continued within the fourth-
And it’s that summer time was the personal shuttle of 20×10. The courts have been full, the gamers demanded extra paddle than ever, the business was working at full capability and the numbers started so as to add up. For a lot of. Even with 1 / 4 of billing much less.
Why? Quite simple, the shovel was remodeled right into a redoubt. An area of pleasure. After having bent the curve of the coronavirus well being pandemic, the world and Spain, within the foreground, entered a second wave after the summer time season that will as soon as once more tighten the measures, distancing the specified freedom from the each day lifetime of residents.
Mobility restrictions, decreased capability, perimeter areas, confinements by well being areas or momentary closures of sectors could be a number of the measures that will steadily return. The long-awaited ‘new regular’ was not so new to make leisure and social life, many instances, a troublesome gymkhana to grasp.
A paddle tennis participant on his return to the courts. H. Bilbao (Europa Press)
As soon as once more, residents have been held accountable for not growing numbers that have been already alarming once more. And unhappy, very unhappy. And the consequence was clear, a seek for leisure freed from risks and that was a automobile of pleasure.
There the paddle grew to become sturdy. However it does. If he had come to get pleasure from just a few months of extra hopeful return than anticipated, the return of summer time drew a transparent upward line in product consumption, monitor hours and different associated consumables.
Manufacturers bought out product collections when nobody anticipated, shops elevated their gross sales once more and noticed how, in lots of circumstances, cabinets have been liquidated when the whole lot advised that they might change into ‘sleepers’ and the potential of reserving a monitor – particularly within the huge cities – it grew to become a chimera. Excellent news, eventually.
The ultimate calendar of the World Padel Tour 2020. WPT
An upward curve that will additionally handle to take skilled paddle tennis. And never with out difficulties. There have been a number of gamers who would take a look at constructive and names as well-known as Fernando Belasteguín, Pablo Lima or Delfina Brea, amongst others, they must absent themselves from a take a look at on account of justified medical depart.
World Padel Tour had gone via a triple appointment behind closed doorways on the Madrid Enviornment and, from there, its explicit nationwide and even worldwide tour would start to compose a schedule of 10 common checks because it had agreed with the gamers in an settlement which concerned an important effort on either side. A separate chapter deserves what has been achieved by the group of the circuit, taking ahead, and in what method, a season to applaududir.
Valencia, Sardinia, Menorca, Barcelona, Alicante and Las Rozas could be the venues chosen to construction that common calendar with 10 levels – along with the Madrid triplet and the inaugural take a look at of Marbella – to place an finish to the season with a Ultimate Grasp that will be held, for the primary time, in Menorca. And even with some checks with public and decreased capability.
Gemma Triay and Lucía Sainz, couple one in every of 2020. WPT
A last race of simply three and a half months that, within the males’s class, would extol the determine of Ale Galán and Juan Lebrón by changing into clear dominators of the yr due to the six titles that they might be capable of raise in a yr to border. A milestone, little question, of better worth due to the outstanding progress of {couples} like people who made up Fernando Belasteguín and Agustín Tapia -two titles and a life lesson- and Sanyo Gutiérrez and Franco Stupaczuk -a wound-.
Within the feminine modality, parity would give solution to a transparent dominance. Clear and sudden. Not stunning. Gemma Triay and Lucía Sainz That they had began the trail of reinvention months in the past and after having left flashes within the first part of the yr, they might handle to impose an iron reign due to a convincing, full and high-carat padel.
5 could be the titles that Triay and Sainz would signal on the finish of the yr to signal the quantity one of many WPT Race 2020 over {couples} like Alejandra Salazar and Ari Sánchez -three championships earlier than the farewell- or Marta Marrero and Martita Ortega -that, sure, they might rejoin their paths.
However the skilled padel would return in additional sides. Not solely World Padel Tour would take flight once more and the ultimate months of the yr would go away stunning snapshots of the place this sport desires to journey. Even within the worst case state of affairs.
The WiZink Heart through the Spanish Paddle Championship. FEP
The Spanish Padel Federation (FEP) started a brand new chapter of his explicit encyclopedia and heor it did electing Ramón Morcillo as president. Its board of administrators would take over with a brand new method of understanding administration – or no less than very totally different from the earlier years – by approaching the WPT, establishing bridges with the IFJ and giving a special picture. And constructive.
The most effective of the reflections could be the celebration of the Spanish Paddle Championship. The XXXVI version would have an imposing stage just like the WiZink Heart, a flowery poster with gamers like Galán, Paquito Navarro, Juan Martín Díaz, Alejandra Salazar or Carolina Navarro, the retransmission of Movistar Plus and a novel communication protection.
The consequence could be overwhelming. For the substance and the shape. The federative padel reached unthinkable heights for the primary time and did in order a transparent consequence of the brand new administration of the FEP. A specific declare that gained the unanimous applause of the business.
Paquito Navarro and Juan Martín Díaz through the last of the Spanish Championship. Fernando Alvarado .
However there could be extra. The paddle would resume its worldwide flight. 2020 was the yr of the internationalization of this sport and never even the pandemic might with the unstoppable growth that it was having in an increasing number of elements of the globe and, particularly, in Sweden, Italy, United Arab Emirates, Latin America and some pioneer nations in Asia.
For instance, CUPRA FIP Finals. The Worldwide Padel Federation (FIP) had managed to renew his explicit calendar celebrating 14 occasions within the first yr of the CUPRA FIP Tour and it might put an finish to the season with a firstclass occasion on the Italian island of Sardinia that will be the official goodbye to all competitors.
Cagliari would host this worldwide padel social gathering that will permit {couples} from nations akin to USA, Uruguay, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Switzerland, Latvia, Holland, Brazil or Portugal. A mixture of gamers from new nations -which are nonetheless within the technique of growth- and names greater than established as Juan Martín Díaz, Juani Mieres, Sebastián Nerone, Pablo Lijó, Sofía Araújo or Virginia Riera.
The winners of the CUPRA FIP Finals 2020. FIP
A last cycle that crossed out the final dates of the calendar. The final dates that, as yearly, could be marked by breakups, bulletins of latest {couples}, goodbyes to manufacturers and potential new signings. The Christmas custom of paddle tennis.
The paddle stated goodbye to 2020. A grey, unhappy yr with many sacrifices. Estates, entities, circuits, gamers, staff and a whole business would get the perfect of themselves to show round a really, very difficult scenario. Like so many others. However with an ending, possibly it’s higher to not say joyful, however no less than not so bitter.
The game of the shovel proved to be alive, extra alive than ever, and that’s to be celebrated. If in such an uncommon yr it has been in a position to reinvent itself, what’s going to it not be capable of do sooner or later? We’ll see. We’ll stay it.
