Agustín Tapia: Hacia La Cima | Documental Completo

Summary

The video script details the remarkable journey of Agustín Tapia, an Argentinian padel player, as he rises to become the world number one in his sport. Born in Catamarca, Tapia's talent is evident from a young age, and his dedication to the sport is unwavering. The documentary highlights his key matches, his partnership with Arturo Coello, and their shared goal of reaching the top. Tapia's humble beginnings, his family's sacrifices, and the challenges he faced to achieve his dream are poignantly captured. His authentic personality and unique style of play have made him a fan favorite and an inspiration to many. The script also emphasizes the importance of mental strength and the support of his family and friends in his success. The emotional climax is Tapia's triumphant moment of becoming the world number one, a testament to his hard work, perseverance, and exceptional skill.

Takeaways

• 🎬 The documentary showcases the growth and future of padel, highlighting its rising stars and the assurance of the sport's future.
• 🏆 Fernando Belasteguín's presence signifies the importance of the tournament, indicating the high level of play and the start of many more successes to come.
• 👴 Agustín Tapia, known as ‘El Mozart de Catamarca’, represents a new generation of players who are pushing the boundaries of the sport.
• 👨‍👩‍👦 Agustín’s family plays a significant role in his life and career, with his upbringing and support system being key factors in his development.
• 🏃‍♂️ Agustín's early training was unconventional, focusing on finding solutions to challenges rather than following a rigid training regime.
• 🤝 The partnership between Agustín Tapia and Arturo Coello is characterized by mutual respect, admiration, and a shared vision for success.
• 🏆 Tapia and Coello's victory is a significant milestone, marking their rise to the top of the world padel rankings.
• 💪 Agustín Tapia's humility and sportsmanship, even in high-pressure situations, set an example for others and contribute to his reputation as a role model.
• 👑 The achievement of becoming world number one is a testament to Agustín Tapia's talent, hard work, and the sacrifices made by him and his family.
• 👥 The support of coaches and the padel community is crucial for the growth and success of players like Agustín Tapia.
• 🌟 Agustín Tapia's unique style and mastery of the game have earned him comparisons to Mozart, highlighting his innate talent and the entertainment he brings to the sport.

Q & A

What is the significance of the fizzing sound when a soft drink can is opened, as mentioned in the script?

The fizzing sound is a metaphor for the start of the journey and the excitement in the sport of padel, indicating that it's just the beginning of many significant moments to come in the documentary.

Who is Fernando Belasteguín and why was his presence important?

Fernando Belasteguín is a significant figure in the world of padel, likely a player or a key influencer in the sport. His presence at the tournament underscores the importance of the event and the high level of competition.

What does the speaker imply about the future of padel?

The speaker implies that the future of padel is bright and secure, with a growing circuit and young players demonstrating incredible talent, suggesting the sport will continue to thrive and gain more popularity.

How does the speaker describe Agustín Tapia's performance in his first tournament?

The speaker describes Agustín Tapia's performance as remarkable, highlighting his victory in his first tournament and expressing hope that he will rise to the top ranks of the sport.

What is the significance of Agustín Tapia being called 'El Mozart de Catamarca'?

The nickname 'El Mozart de Catamarca' signifies Agustín Tapia's exceptional talent and mastery in the sport of padel, akin to the musical genius of Mozart, and it reflects his innate ability to create and innovate in every match he plays.

How does the speaker describe the relationship between Agustín Tapia and his partner, Arturo Coello?

The speaker describes their relationship as one of mutual admiration and respect, both on and off the court. They share a strong bond, not just as teammates but also as friends, which contributes to their success as a pairing.

What is the role of Andrés in Agustín Tapia's career?

Andrés is portrayed as a mentor and a source of family support for Agustín Tapia. He is methodical in his approach to nutrition and fitness and provides a structured training schedule, playing a crucial role in Agustín's development and success.

How does the speaker describe Agustín Tapia's reaction to challenges during a match?

The speaker describes Agustín Tapia as remaining calm and composed even during challenging situations. His ability to handle high-pressure moments with finesse and maturity is highlighted as a key aspect of his character and gameplay.

What is the significance of the speaker's statement about Agustín Tapia's humility and simplicity?

The statement emphasizes Agustín Tapia's grounded nature despite his success. His humility and simplicity are portrayed as key factors in his ability to stay connected with his roots and maintain a strong support system of family and friends.

How does the speaker characterize the growth and popularity of padel as a sport?

The speaker characterizes the growth of padel as rapid and significant, with the sport gaining more attention and popularity worldwide. The success of players like Agustín Tapia contributes to the sport's rising profile and is expected to inspire more people to take up the sport.

What does the speaker reveal about Agustín Tapia's early life and training?

The speaker reveals that Agustín Tapia's early life involved a lot of informal play with his family and at a club, without the structured training typically expected of aspiring athletes. Despite this, his natural talent was evident, and he was able to excel without such training.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 Introduction to the Padel Documentary

This paragraph introduces the documentary on padel, a sport similar to tennis, highlighting its growth and the significant contributions of Fernando Belasteguín. It emphasizes the sport's exciting future, the emergence of young talents, and the peace of mind of veterans facing retirement, knowing they leave a thriving circuit. The narrative also focuses on Agustín Tapia's journey, his family's sacrifices, and his rise to success despite the challenges of uprooting and lack of a stable training environment in his early years.

05:02

🏆 Agustín Tapia's First Tournament Win

The summary of this paragraph details the pivotal moment of Agustín Tapia's career when he won his first tournament. It reflects on Tapia's potential to break into the Top 3 and the speaker's commitment to support him. It also delves into Tapia's background, his training, and the support he received from his family and the community in Catamarca. The paragraph concludes with Tapia's contentment with his current situation and his deep connection to his roots and loved ones.

10:03

🤝 The Dynamic Partnership of Sanyo Gutiérrez and Agustín Tapia

This section discusses the successful partnership between Sanyo Gutiérrez and Agustín Tapia, highlighting their consistent performance in the tournaments. It explores their approach to the game, the mutual respect and admiration they have for each other, and the importance of their off-court relationship. The narrative also touches on the personal growth of Agustín, the support from his coach Andrés, and the impact of their teamwork on their success.

15:05

📈 Agustín Tapia's Rise to Fame

The paragraph focuses on Agustín Tapia's rise to fame and his impact on the sport of padel. It discusses his natural talent, his ability to captivate audiences, and his comparison to a genius like Mozart. The speaker praises Tapia's playing style, his modern approach to the game, and his unique ability to finish points from various positions on the court. The narrative also touches on Tapia's humility and how it contributes to his appeal and the respect he commands from others.

20:09

🏃‍♂️ Agustín Tapia's Early Years and Training

This paragraph delves into Agustín Tapia's early years and the training that shaped his career. It discusses the influence of his coach Andrés, who was also a close friend of the speaker, and the meticulous approach Andrés took in developing Tapia's skills, both in terms of technique and physical conditioning. The narrative also covers Tapia's move to Rosario, the support he received from his family, and the camaraderie he shared with his peers at the club.

25:12

🤝 The Formidable Pairing of Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia

The focus of this paragraph is on the partnership between Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia, two young and promising padel players. It discusses their shared goal of becoming the world's number one team, their seamless gameplay, and the mutual respect they have for each other's abilities. The narrative also highlights Tapia's leadership on the court and the mental strength he demonstrates during crucial moments in the game.

30:16

🏆 The Climactic Final Match

This paragraph describes the intense and climactic final match where Tapia and Coello fought for the number one spot in the world padel rankings. It details the high stakes, the emotional journey of the players, and the exceptional performance of both pairs in the game. The narrative culminates in Tapia and Coello's victory and the emotional aftermath, including Tapia's poignant moment with his family and the broader significance of their achievement in the sport of padel.

35:19

🌟 Agustín Tapia's Ascendancy and Legacy

The final paragraph reflects on Agustín Tapia's journey to becoming the world number one in padel. It highlights his authenticity, his unique playing style, and the inspiration he provides to fans across the globe. The narrative also touches on Tapia's humility and the sacrifices made by his family, painting a picture of a player who has not only achieved great success but also remained true to his roots and the values that brought him to the pinnacle of his sport.

Keywords

💡Padel

Padel is a racket sport similar to tennis, played in a confined space with walls. It is a key focus of the video, showcasing the growth and excitement of the sport. The video documents the journey of players like Agustín Tapia and their impact on the sport, highlighting its increasing popularity and the intense competition at the professional level.

💡Agustín Tapia

Agustín Tapia, also known as 'El Mozart de Catamarca', is a central figure in the video. He is an Argentinian professional padel player who is depicted as having an incredible talent and a natural gift for the sport. The video follows his rise to becoming the world number one in padel, a journey filled with personal sacrifice, hard work, and triumph.

💡World Padel Tour

The World Padel Tour is the professional circuit for padel players, featuring top athletes from around the globe. It represents the highest level of competition in the sport and is a primary setting for the video's narrative. The tour's growth and the intense matches featured in the video underscore the sport's professionalization and appeal.

💡Authenticity

Authenticity is a theme that resonates throughout the video, particularly in relation to Agustín Tapia's character and approach to the sport. It refers to his genuine and sincere nature both on and off the court, which is admired by his rivals and fans alike. His authenticity is depicted as a key factor in his success and in connecting with the audience.

💡Sacrifice

Sacrifice is a recurring concept in the video, highlighting the personal costs and dedication required to achieve success in professional sports. It is exemplified by Agustín Tapia's journey, which involves leaving his family at a young age, enduring physical pain, and the emotional toll of high-stakes competition.

💡Leadership

Leadership is explored in the context of Agustín Tapia's role within his team and the sport of padel. It is shown through his ability to guide and influence his partner during matches, as well as his maturity in handling pressure and challenges. His leadership is pivotal in achieving their goal of becoming the world number one pairing.

💡Talent

Talent is a core concept in the video, often associated with Agustín Tapia's innate abilities and skills in padel. It is discussed in the context of his natural gift, his improvisational skills on the court, and the unique qualities that set him apart from other players. His talent is a major theme and a driving force behind his rise to the top of the sport.

💡Emotions

Emotions play a significant role in the video, capturing the highs and lows experienced by the players during their journey. From the thrill of victory to the agony of defeat, the emotional spectrum is fully explored. Agustín Tapia's emotional reactions, such as his tears of joy and moments of reflection, humanize him and add depth to the narrative.

💡Perseverance

Perseverance is a key theme in the video, reflecting the ongoing effort and determination required to succeed in a competitive sport. It is demonstrated through Agustín Tapia's continuous improvement, his ability to bounce back from losses, and his commitment to his craft despite the obstacles he faces.

💡Intrinsic Quality

Intrinsic quality refers to the inherent characteristics or qualities that are considered innate or natural. In the context of the video, it is used to describe Agustín Tapia's exceptional skills and his ability to perform extraordinary feats on the court, which are seen as part of his genius and unique to his style of play.

💡Mastery

Mastery is depicted as the highest level of skill or expertise in a particular field. The video portrays Agustín Tapia's mastery of padel through his ability to innovate, his control during matches, and his status as a top player. His mastery is a testament to his dedication and the natural talent that has earned him the nickname 'El Mozart de Catamarca'.

Highlights

Fernando Belasteguín's presence at the tournament signifies its importance.

The future of padel is assured with a growing circuit and impressive young players.

Agustín Tapia, known as 'El Mozart de Catamarca', wins his first tournament, sparking questions about his potential Top 3 ranking.

Agustín's early life involved a balance between family and club play, which influenced his training.

Agustín's natural talent and happiness both on and off the court are highlighted.

The importance of admiration and respect between sports partners is emphasized.

Agustín Tapia and Sanyo Gutiérrez achieve their fourth final in the fourth tournament of the year.

The duo's strong performance and teamwork are underscored, with a focus on positivity and enjoyment.

Agustín's humble upbringing and the support from his coach Andrés are detailed.

Agustín's partnership with Arturo Coello is described as seamless, with potential for long-term success.

Agustín's leadership qualities on the court are noted, particularly his ability to handle pressure.

The mental and physical intensity of the match that led to Agustín and Coello's world number one ranking is recounted.

Agustín Tapia's emotional reaction post-victory, pointing to his head as a symbol of mental strength, is captured.

The challenges of maintaining the number one ranking and the sacrifices made by top athletes are discussed.

Agustín Tapia's rise to world number one is contextualized within his personal journey and the sport of padel.

The universal appeal of Agustín's playing style and his impact on fans across different cultures are highlighted.

Agustín's comparison to Mozart for his child prodigy status and improvisational skills on the court is noted.

Transcripts

A DOCUMENTARY BY NOX

PRODUCED BY DOCE STUDIOS

WITH THE COLLABORATION OF WORLD PADEL TOUR

You know when you open a soft drink can, and it fizzes...

This is just the start.

We knew it would be the first of many.

It goes without saying that Fernando Belasteguín was there.

It was a hugely important tournament

and they played amazingly all throughout.

I thought to myself,

‘We’re going to see a repeat of this image many, many more times’.

The future of padel is absolutely assured.

The circuit continues to grow and there are young players

who are playing incredibly.

I’ll give them a run for their money for now.

But when the time comes for me to retire, my mind is at ease

as I’ll get to enjoy the world's best padel.

It was definitely a day he’ll never forget.

But if you ask him now, despite how much he treasures that memory,

I’m sure he has lost track of how many titles he has won

and how many he can still win.

The first, mark this day.

I saw Agustín Tapia,

‘El Mozart de Catamarca’, win his first tournament.

Will we see Agustín Tapia in the Top 3?

I hope so. I’m going to give it my all. So, I definitely hope so.

Agustín’s uprooting from his family,

that lack of a family atmosphere,

started way back.

He’d go to play with his family, he’d go to play at the club.

He’d alternate between the two, as they’d invite him to join a barbecue.

So, he’d stay and play with this family there in Catamarca.

But then, he wasn’t training as a boy

vying for a spot on the National Team should.

And we always tried to sort things out

so that he could come, or stay after the tournaments,

or play a pre-season match and stay two or three months

so he could train. His level of play was incredible

and he wasn’t even training as a boy of his age should.

He’s very happy with how things are right now,

compared to when he didn’t have his family around,

when I didn’t know him as well.

He’s a lad who enjoys

being near his family and his loved ones.

He always radiates happiness

both within and without.

He stays true to his roots,

and those values are important.

I’m happy to see him in Argentina,

with his mates from school, who are all so cheeky.

-Do you have a passport? -What about you?

Is there mass at the Sagrada Familia?

-I told the truth. -I don’t have my mobile phone.

-I wrote ‘I miss you’. -Show him the messages from last night.

Why don't you show him last night's messages?

-Which ones? -I don’t know.

There’s one from Saturday when we returned home.

I woke up with my mobile phone!

A round of applause for Gachi’s pies.

Where do we come in, Pablo?

There’s a lovely story where I was running back and forth,

while he, in contrast, was just standing still

and I was running behind him.

And he suddenly started explaining

how I should hit a lob.

Now, the lob? I basically hit it however I can, It’s not as if...

I saw how it all just came so easily to him.

The ball would come at him and he wouldn't even break a sweat.

It was hard for me to hit a lob.

So, he told me, ‘Javi’, with all the calm that’s just so him.

He said, ‘You have to adjust to the wind

because I think you’re hitting your lobs too long’.

I was hitting my lobs all the way to the other side of the court.

I answered, ‘Agus, I’m just trying my best to get it over to the other side, okay?

Don’t give me that nonsense’.

During the talks we had, we'd always ask ourselves:

how can we make things more difficult for this lad?

Because he’d just go and smash whatever it was, you know?

‘Hit the lob into that box over there’.

And he’d just go and do it.

Admiration.

I think it’s so important to admire

and respect each other. Thinking ‘my partner is so good’.

And I look at him as if I were saying, when he plays well,

‘He’s so good, he makes everything so easy’.

And I think he feels the same about me.

I think it was a great year,

because I felt we looked at each other the way people in love do.

You know, when one looks at the other with love and you think

how good he is, how well he plays, how easy it is for him or where he's hitting.

And perhaps I also felt the same from him

when he’d look at me.

Both of us adored each other and I think that in a pairing,

aside from having a good off-court relationship,

which is kind of expected, as we all get on really well.

You end up spending so much time together

that you share so many stories aside from a lot of other things.

But admiration is key on court.

And I’d like to congratulate Agustín, who’s maturing. Amazing stuff.

Sanyo Gutiérrez and Agustín Tapia,

fourth tournament of the year and their fourth final.

In 11 tournaments, they’ve always made it to the semifinals.

Now we can carry on as we’ve been doing. We’ll win this anyway.

Sometimes, you don’t have to be so perfect.

You only have to stay positive and play. And have fun.

Agus is great at doing that.

There was no resentment, no complaints about each other.

And if we had anything to get off our chest,

we just went and said it, without being hurtful.

And I think that was the key to this pairing.

I think there’s something very important that I gained

that's beyond sporting terms.

In sporting terms, I’ve had the privilege of playing with amazing players

and you learn from all of them.

Agustín has his own playing style, others have their own.

And you learn from all of them. But I gained a friend in Agus.

Even if we don’t play together anymore, I still want to share things with Agus.

Considering what I’m like, that I don’t just call anyone a friend,

I made a friend.

When he went to live in Rosario,

he had his family, who were the friends who lived with him.

And we were there at the club, so it was an atmosphere full of friends and family.

Agustín lived right in front of the club.

He only had to cross the street to get to the club.

And he couldn’t sleep through training, he had absolutely no excuse.

If he was about to have dinner

and realised there was no food, all he had to do was pop over.

He was just one of us.

I haven’t got any makeup on, no way.

Listen, they’re doing an interview on Agus’s career here.

Really?

What’s little known about his career, where everything happened, where he trained…

His beginnings… he was always here.

-Humility. -He’d train... Yes, humility.

Well, Andrés wasn’t just Agustín’s coach, he was also my best friend.

This is still the case even though we now live 10,000 kilometres apart.

Andrés is extremely methodical when it comes to nutrition and fitness.

He always set a schedule

for Agustín to follow, like what time he had to eat dinner, wake up, play padel.

Andrés gave him family support

and he continued developing Agustín's skills.

And when they came here for the tour,

well, it was so easy because we shared the same vision.

Andrés and I never stopped talking about Agustín.

And Agus always used to complain, ‘I went to live in Rosario because of you

and you went to live in Barcelona’.

So, I told him, ‘Agus, I don’t know what you have in mind,

but if you want to and you fancy a change, I’m right here’.

Three days went by, I can’t remember, three or four days.

And I wrote to Denis, and told him, ‘Agus isn’t responding to my messages.

He can say no, but please, he should answer me at the very least’.

He told me, ‘Look, I’m sure he didn’t understand properly’,

because he replied, ‘Hey, Sandios!’ He always called me ‘Sandios’.

‘Sandios, all good here. How are you?’

But he didn’t reply to what I was asking him.

So, this time around, I sent him a voice message, and I told him,

‘Agus, I don’t think you quite understood my message.

I’m asking if you fancy a change, if you want to play together.

I’m available, as Bela and I are splitting up’.

It was only then that he said, ‘Oh, I didn’t get that.

Well, let me see. For me…

Thanks for calling me, I think it’s a great idea. I’d really like that.

I just need to talk it over with Pablo’.

That’s how we played together for the first time, right here in Barcelona.

As a joke, of course, we dubbed,

or rather, I dubbed him tranquilandia (‘world of calm’)

because he’s got Walt Disney inside his head,

but he’s quite inscrutable on the outside.

He’s a bit hard

to read.

And maybe the way he projects himself

also reflects the way he plays.

Sometimes, it’s hard to tell what he’s going to do. He’s a lad who,

aside from having fun,

always keeps his cards close to his chest. And there are times when...

He does something, he gets it done, but he’s not even quite sure how he did it.

He does it, and he doesn’t even know how.

A genius.

A genius never knows what he’s quite capable of.

That’s what a chosen few have.

You can’t really learn it, can you? It’s not something that can be taught.

If someone asks me, ‘Teach me how to smash it like Agustín’.

It simply can't be taught.

And he’s called ‘El Mozart de Catamarca’ because of that absolute mastery,

the intrinsic quality of a genius.

He comes up with something new at every match.

He’s the kind of player

who makes it easy to understand why fans have to buy a ticket to watch a match,

whatever the sport.

The way Agustín finishes off a point is no mean feat.

Agustín can finish off a point whenever and from wherever he wants.

He can hit a winner from wherever he wants.

He’s a very modern player.

He’s a player who brings together

all the best qualities of the best players ever in the history of this sport.

He’s got what plenty of people can’t ever learn,

which is a natural gift.

Vision, anticipation, flexibility, movement.

I see his face whenever he plays on the PlayStation.

He pulls a face

and has fun in such a way that, as he can’t see himself,

shows how much he’s enjoying himself.

When he pulls that face at key moments during a match,

they’re the wow moments that I call ‘recoveries’ just to put a name to them.

It doesn’t matter whether he’s from your country

or whether you share the same opinion.

When you see him, you admire him.

He can bring everyone to their feet.

He’s the kind of guy who people just look at whenever he passes by.

Did you see what Agus Tapia just did?

Suddenly, he became a high-profile padel star worldwide.

The sport is growing by leaps and bounds

and if you go to any Arab Emirate, to Dubai

and he's out and about, they all want a photo.

I see certain similarities with the careers we have in football.

Starting out so young, being an inspiration for many athletes,

admired by other players of other sports.

It just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

I think that padel is poised for still more growth.

Well, there’s no doubt

that if we continue watching such amazing padel players,

who showcase the game so wonderfully,

there will be even more people who’ll want to play.

I’d go so far as to say that the praise makes Agustín Tapia blush.

All of us like getting praise, but I’d go so far as to say

that there are times when he finds it hard to deal with the praise.

So, it’s that simplicity

and that humility that make

Agustín Tapia and surely his family

and inner circle and friends

appreciate what they’ve got even more.

I mean, this guy, he’s the best in this sport,

he’s number one.

This guy does things on court that nobody else can do,

and yet he’s right here with us chatting, as if he were just one of us,

as if he were five years old and back in Catamarca with his family.

I think I’m the one who’s spent the most time watching him play,

watching him train, watching him live moments on court.

Indeed, he’s unpredictable. That’s always been the way he plays.

I think it has something to do with Agustín’s formative years.

We’d present him with a challenge and he had to find a solution for it.

We never went, ‘This is how you should do it’.

It was more like, ‘Look, find a solution for this exercise, for this challenge’.

And that’s what Agustín's been doing all his life.

I think that as his coach, I set targets for him,

and as a friend or older brother, I want him to be happy.

That role is tough for me,

because I want him to be the best in the world,

but I know that that’s a hard road to take.

I don’t want him to walk it alone.

There’s nothing tougher for an athlete than to go it alone.

When I go to a tournament with him, I give him support.

Being alone is not something I’d want for him.

Pablo, who’s coming?

I want him to be happy and I want him to make history.

It’s a daunting task for me every day.

It’s hard for me to tell him not to eat this or that,

or to start training.

I know he’s tired, or I know he’s missing his family,

but I have to push him and at the same time comfort him

or cover for him when he drops the ball.

It’s definitely a tough role,

but I want him to be happy and to make history.

What can you say about the lad beside you who’s only 17?

Seventeen-year-old Agustín Tapia

from Catamarca, my partner, is an amazing player.

He’s playing at an amazing level and we’re very well-matched.

At only 17 years of age, he plays with a maturity that’s far beyond his years.

He’s an adult on court, very mature and a cracking player.

There’s no doubt about it.

Youth World Championship in Argentina 2013,

the Real Polo Club of Barcelona with Lucho Soliverez as his partner.

He’d just come from a prize trip that he won in a tournament that he played in Argentina

and he was here for a few months to play in a tour.

He then signed up for the World Padel Tour and he was playing a pre-qualifying match.

And we saw something that was extraordinary.

A match that was simply incredible, definitely out of the ordinary.

It marked a turning point as he realised he could also play on the right.

They won the pre-qualifying and qualifying draws

and made it to the main draw.

But Agustín had an abdominal muscle strain

and every time they switched sides, he’d say, ‘Tell me to withdraw and I will’.

I told him, ‘No, just hang in there, hang in there a little more, come on’.

He couldn’t hit properly. The muscle kept on tearing.

The physiotherapists told me he couldn’t keep playing.

I told them, ‘Bandage him up so he can play.

This lad travelled 10,000 kilometres to play in this tournament’.

The muscle kept on tearing as the tournament went on

and he’d cry when the matches ended because he couldn’t breathe.

But he still won. In the match for the main draw,

we were winning over Campagnolo and Di Nenno.

We were winning the third set, I think we were up two games.

Then, when the third set started, they withdrew.

We were ready to withdraw with every change.

Lucho, Agustín and I hugged each other

and started crying, because we were at the end of our tether.

Great match by Agustín Tapia and Lucho Soliverez…

Hey Joya, how are you?

-Everything alright? -Joya, everything okay?

Pablo, could you bring me two LTDs from my bag please?

Gabi, is it break point?

It’s a gold point. It’s a break or match point.

That’s great, 6-2, 6-3.

-Not even in your wildest dreams, right? -Indeed.

Keep your hips back there. Great, get a really good stretch in.

That’s it. Great.

Good, come on.

Agustín, come on.

Let’s go. For Lionel.

Come on.

It’s almost always the case that when you’re at the last stop,

you start enjoying the view a bit more.

From Catamarca, here at Sant Jordi,

the violins of The Mozart,

let’s all welcome Agustín Tapia!

Ball for Fede Chingotto and Martín Di Nenno,

who are in the semis of the Master Final.

Fede, Tapia,

Fede right in the thick of it, ladies and gentlemen! This is incredible.

This is insane!

They’ve just knocked out the second-ranked pairing in the World Padel Tour…

Every time everyone thinks that it’s all over,

he manages to get back in the game.

And if it’s time for it to end, it always ends in his favour.

That's what makes him exceptional.

Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia are now padel partners.

The time has come for the two promising young players

to join forces with one single goal: to become number one.

The so-called future star pairing of padel,

or why not call them the star pairing of padel today?

They can do without a player being the pairing’s captain…

Were they in a rush to close it out?

The first thing that comes to mind is, ‘Wow, what a pairing!’.

Nobody has ever made me feel so comfortable.

We’d like to focus on Agustín Tapia for his talent,

as he’s a master who does things nobody else can.

Beside him is an absolute beast.

A beast that’s a 9.5 in terms of quality or talent,

a 9.5 as regards power,

a 9.5 as to physical fitness, a 9.5 when it comes to volleying,

a 9.5 for bandeja shots. Arturo Coello is excellent all-round.

And I think this combination is going to work wonders as Tapia

won’t be saying, ‘No, I’m the one with more talent. I’m the best’.

On the contrary, I think that in his head, Agus is thinking, ‘Okay, whatever you say.'

I’ve got a fantastic wrist, they call me The Mozart,

but my partner is helping me take my game to the next level’.

They play together seamlessly, and barring an act of God,

I think they’ll be a pairing, they’ll be partners for a very long time.

That’s what we’re hoping for.

Given the stage that we’re about to face,

it’s Agustín who’ll have to be the mature one in this pairing.

Point the camera at me. I’m the handsome, good guy, for fuck’s sake.

He's got to lead, which he hasn’t had to do.

You brought me colour, bro.

Last year, everything was just black and white.

It’s a challenge that Agustín will have to take on

and he’ll just have to be better.

Until Agustín actually came to Valladolid the first few days we trained together,

whenever Arturo or another player would tell me

they were going to play with a partner,

I’d create an idea in my head of how they could play together, etc.

We talked it over with Pablo, with the team,

we gradually came up with an idea of how we had to play…

So, when Agustín came, I saw how he played,

how he made an effort together with Arturo

during the first few training sessions.

I think that as we saw that Agustín had the ability to execute

the plays that we wanted to do,

I was more than reassured.

There’s no problem there because he can play. But it’s up to them.

We need to attack more from the back.

It’s like we’re doing many plays that follow a 1, 2, 3 and 4 sequence.

Very well, Artur. If you’re at the back,

you lob the ball at Martín and you go up to him. Okay?

And here, they’ll play the ball here.

Do you know what? In this sport, in the World Padel Tour,

there’s no such thing as calm.

I think what happened in Chile made me look at the sport

from a different perspective.

If I’d been on the bench, I think I would’ve reacted differently.

They managed to win the first set, the second, and the third…

I didn’t see the ball, but he called 30-40, I don’t know what happened.

You called 30-40!

I don’t know. I didn’t see it. I told the referee.

Perhaps he would have tried to retire the pairing

and do something, shall we say, a bit more confrontational.

The ball was in, but the referee called it out.

Tapia and Coello

said the ball was in,

but as the referee called it out and called 30-40,

it was a gold point.

When a sport starts becoming controversial,

when social media starts paying more attention

to what’s happening off the court than on it,

when the focus is no longer the goal, or the smash here,

but instead how one player looked at another,

or if they shook hands after,

I think that that sport is starting to take on a certain significance.

The referee Honorio García told me

that neither Agus, in this case, nor Arturo, but particularly Agus,

had been even remotely disrespectful to him.

At a time like that, for an athlete to have that kind of composure

is truly worthy of admiration, I think. I think that anyone else

would have lost their temper.

Tournament point, tie-break point.

The thin line, as Sebas said. Tapia is on the attack,

Galán defends,

Coello as well,

it’s going towards Tapia, Tapia gets it in…

I think all of us who know Agustín are better for it.

In short, Agustín makes us all better.

Stop, I’m trying not to get emotional about it.

He’s a guy who makes you think about how you think.

I’ve been doing this for many years now,

and I have my own way of thinking about things,

or doing things, of fighting for things.

I think that in Chile,

Agustín’s reaction of staying calm,

with an eye on finesse and his way of dealing with the situation at hand

speaks volumes about him.

The way he is, not taking it out on anybody and staying calm.

This is surely down to his parents, his inner circle or his family.

Because at such a crucial moment, any other athlete

would have been on edge. I understand when athletes lose their temper.

I think the final played out like it did

because the public deserved a 7-5 in the third set,

or at least that’s what I think.

That’s our takeaway: being better, more professional,

being different, being more mature.

Aspiring to be the best in the world.

Coello’s here

and the goal is to be number one from now until the end of the season.

So, now that he’s met Arturo, a young man like him,

who’s broadminded.

They’re not under pressure,

they want a project for the long term, they want to have fun.

I think that we’ve been able to convey this.

It’d be amazing if we could always win,

but even if we lose, we’d still train per usual on Monday.

But maybe with even more information

on what we need to work on than when we actually win.

They’ll come for you and you go through there.

They’ve got everything to become the best in this sport.

It’s true that I think I’ve never talked about this with them.

I think that if you were to ask them, they’ll say that they never would’ve imagined

they could get the results they’re getting

given how little time they’ve actually played together.

To be honest,

the first few times I thought about this pairing

when I heard the news,

I thought, ‘They’ve got it all.

But I want to see how they behave,

who’s the captain, who takes responsibility,

how they react when the chips are down’.

And Agus’s leadership

stems from the fact that he dominates play during matches.

Truly, if you see how they play, Arturo quickly searches for attacking positions.

This gives Agustín the chance to handle the ball.

And when he handles the ball, he has to be extremely precise, with lots of finesse.

He’s clearly able to do this often,

which is why he’s the leader in this pairing.

In terms of the mental aspect,

I don’t think there’s an actual leader.

Game, set and match

for Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia,

with a score of 6-1 and 6-2.

Thank you so much.

Their level of concentration,

their fitness level and their confidence level are so high,

all it takes is taking their eye off the ball for a moment,

maybe due to a bad day, something that happened to them,

including off court,

which is what can make them lose matches.

I think Tapia has put on the armband. He’s wearing the ‘C’ for captain

and there’s something that shifted in his head

that made him to say, ‘It’s now my time, it’s my turn’.

When the match finished, who came to mind?

Did you say, ‘Wow, I’m in the quarterfinals'. What were you thinking?

A year ago,

I won a trip to come and play here and it was incredible.

Now, I’m in the quarterfinals and now... It’s truly remarkable.

Well, before Vigo, I think that our greatest rivals,

aside from Galán and Juan, who play very well,

were ourselves. In the end, when we reached

our full potential this year,

we’re really standing out, let’s put it that way.

It’s definitely tough.

Two guys who are absolute beasts in terms of physicality.

Such as Lebrón and Galán.

They’ve got an oven that can withstand any temperature.

I think that’s admirable.

They’re the ones who bring out the best in our pairing.

I think we must have watched each of these matches 20 times.

They’re very strong both technically and physically.

And let me tell you that in the last few years,

the last stage as well, which is technically,

as they’ve won on slow courts by playing really well.

I think that in the build-up to the final match,

we never expected the match to go the way it did.

For me, as coach, it’d be a massive disappointment

if they didn’t become number one, because they’ve got it all.

We used the same strategy that we always use against Lebrón and Galán,

which we hopefully won’t have to change provided it keeps working.

They… El Lobo at the back won’t make the move.

He’s going to hit a parallel lob towards you.

If Galán’s here and Lebrón hits to him,

he could receive from any of the three so he’s in a bad position.

The only thing he can do is hit a parallel lob towards you.

He’s always… and that’s it.

Got it? When he’s in front.

-I’ll try a feint at some point. -Great, you can try a feint.

That match was

the ultimate epitome

of what the World Padel Tour and padel are.

I’d wrap it up from start to finish and present it to people.

This is what padel is all about, everyone.

I liken it to a Champions League final,

the Monaco Grand Prix, a French Open final, a World Cup final.

Attractive, full of excitement,

with today’s top four players, with four young men

who are as versatile as Swiss knives

who’ve got everything.

They can open a bottle, they can slice a piece of ham,

they can, I don’t know, attach screws to a door.

Absolutely mind-blowing stuff.

They’re fighting for the number one spot

while the rest will know what rank they’ll end up with after.

So, as I often like to say,

‘Play the way you imagine’.

What an epic,

intense and beautiful match.

It’s also worth noting how Lebrón and Galán

stepped up.

Few believed that they could respond in that manner,

even more so after the first set,

which looked like it would be a quick and relatively ‘simple’ task

for Agustín Tapia and Arturo Coello.

There’s no way anyone can get to that.

Arturo Coello’s going to smash that. The ball’s bouncing back.

That’s how Arturo Coello closed out the first set.

Agustín Tapia and Arturo Coello got right down to business,

as they’ve been doing recently.

But the strength of the top seeds,

Galán and Lebrón in this case, was quite formidable.

The two of them have been at the top for four years,

competing for everything, winning the biggest titles,

coming from behind to do the impossible and win.

They’re the ones that top the rankings hands down.

The pressure here is immense. To break.

Indeed, I’d say that this is the most important one they’ve played.

Lebrón serves, Tapia returns.

Tapia hits the ball underhand to return with a high lob

that Alejandro Galán will have to deal with.

More from Alejandro Galán, who smashes it.

It gets to Tapia off court. Tapia gets it in.

Good heavens!

Tapia gets it in and they go mad

because it’s a point that could be a massive game-changer.

Indeed, after that first set when they were so clearly superior,

I’m sure they didn’t expect to have such a hard time

and to have to go all out as they ended up having to do.

Come on, you can do this, you can do this. Come on, mate.

We were leading 5-4 after two sets.

On the bench, I said something to Arturo which probably wasn’t the best.

I put pressure on him instead of calming him down.

It was a mistake that we were just discussing with the boys.

Go out there and show me how it’s done as I’ve never been in this position.

In an attempt to lighten the pressure,

I said, ‘Come on. It's on you to win this

as I've never been in this situation as a player’.

But what I really meant was,

‘You’re cracking players. Come on, you’ve got this’.

Tapia volleys low.

Arturo Coello smashes it long.

-Things get complicated. -It goes long.

And Arturo took it on as his responsibility.

Two for this second set to go on.

Arturo Coello serves.

Coello is getting ready to smash it.

It goes into the net and Alejandro Galán celebrates.

They weren’t able to close the match out.

It’s so difficult to close a match out.

I think he lets his nerves get the better of him sometimes.

In fact, on the bench, he himself said, ‘I did badly here.

I had it and I didn’t do it well’.

I’m won't let the pressure get to me. I made a mess of things.

It’s okay. Come on, it’s fine. Serve well, keep it together…

You have to close out. It has no set duration.

With a set duration, when you’re winning 1-0, you’ll look up and say,

‘I’m going to stay back, close ranks and not let anyone in’.

But here, the clock doesn’t run out. The winner is who scores the last point.

And you’re facing a pairing that remains calm under extreme pressure.

And they couldn’t do it, and you could see it.

I think that during these moments, Tapia and Coello are probably thinking,

‘They’re going to put the pressure on’.

So, you go on court, knowing that you can close out the game,

while also knowing that they’ll fight you every inch of the way.

This is like Madrid near the end.

It’s as if it were the 90th minute, you’re winning 2-0 and you say, relax.

But things can change quickly. That’s Galán and Lebrón for you.

And it did happen.

And we had to go to the third set.

The intensity of it all, what was at stake,

the faces of the players themselves said it all.

There was a battle, mentally and physically,

as well as in terms of finesse for each and every point

by today’s top four players.

But I saw that Tapia was oddly calm.

I could see Tapia, but perhaps he was nervous on the inside, understandably,

and he chose well during each crucial play.

During each crucial play, it seemed that he was pulling Arturo Coello along,

saying, ‘Come on, we’ll do it this way. Relax. It’s okay even if we messed up’.

Galán’s getting ready to smash it,

Agustín dodges it, Agustín goes out…

Unbelievable! Simply unbelievable!

From that moment on, Agustín asserts control of the game,

and I think that, as a team, particularly Agustín,

they slowly but surely get back in the game.

We’re one point, two points away from being world number one,

from achieving our lifelong dream.

And without having to wait until we’re 30, or 28, or 27 years.

We can do it by defeating the best of the best.

And only after eight tournaments, or nine tournaments

that we had under our belts then in Vigo.

That’s clearly quite scary.

I think that during key moments,

they look at themselves,

they see that they’re strong

and they rise to the occasion.

I think that’s the difference.

30-40, two breaks up for Tapia and Coello, to go to the tie-break.

-There you go, Arturo Coello’s shot. -What a ball! What a change of speed!

I think that in the third set, aside from the fact that we saw

some incredible points that will live on in our memory,

it was all possible because the time came when all that tension came to a head

and they went flat out, gave it their all for every point,

fought to the death, battled it out for every point

and let the chips fall where they may.

Yes, Coello serves. He’s trying to calm himself down,

pull himself together, play with a cool head.

Tournament point, point for the number one spot,

-the fifth for Tapia and Coello. -The fifth.

They’ve saved four.

History saved that moment just for Tapia and Coello.

Galán and Lebrón. Coello serves,

Galán returns. The ball’s about to hit the wall.

Arturo Coello gives it everything he’s got. Juan Lebrón hits it with a parallel shot.

Tapia defends. Tapia hits a high lob.

Galán comes at it with a vibora.

Lebrón’s got it. Tapia defends.

Tapia passes to the middle. More from Tapia.

Lebrón blocks it. Coello.

Lebrón restarts the point. Tapia does the same.

He comes into the net. They’re volleying back and forth.

Who wins the battle of the volleys? Who wins?

Game, set, match

and number one spot in the world padel rankings

for Arturo Coello

and Agustín Tapia.

They hug and cry tears of joy.

They’ve won 6-3, 6-7

and 7-6, leaving this commentator without his voice,

while telling you how Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia…

I think it was one of the best matches in the history of this sport.

I remember many finals, but none as complete,

as long, with ups and downs,

an absolute roller-coaster of emotions.

With the four players at the top of their game the entire time,

with Galán and Lebrón playing amazingly, and Tapia and Coello

at peak performance.

I remember it as hands-down the best match or the best final

in the World Padel Tour's history.

It’s that cry of rage, mixed with Agustín Tapia’s tears,

that has characterised Agus since he left Catamarca at 14 or 13,

until he became the world number one at 23.

He made the same gesture that we saw in the final in Chile

and it’s something we’ve seen him do many times.

And I think it’s very important to Agustín Tapia’s growth.

He pointed to his head,

which is his way of saying that this is where we remained strong.

This is what took us to number one.

Lebrón’s got it. Tapia defends.

Tapia passes to the middle. More from Tapia.

Lebrón blocks it. Coello…

What a lob, you can’t hit that lob.

Lebrón restarts. Tapia does the same.

He comes into the net. They’re volleying.

Who wins the battle of the volleys? Who wins?

Game, set, match

and number one spot in the world padel rankings

for Arturo Coello

and Agustín Tapia.

They hug and cry tears of joy.

They’ve won 6-3, 6-7 and 7-6,

leaving this commentator without his voice...

If you take another look at the images, I did lose my voice.

...6-7 and 7-6,

leaving this commentator without his voice...

I nearly yelled out ‘game, set and match’, straining my throat

after what we’d just gone through, with them on court, the viewers at home,

and what I’d witnessed, my part in it,

the anxiety of also watching how it all played out.

Agustín Tapia's defining moment

is when, after the point, after the set and match,

and after his hug with his coach, he approached the box,

saw his family and bent over to cry.

I threw myself on the ground.

It may have been odd to see me on the ground with an iPhone

recording him, but I thought it was the only way I could do it

and I didn’t even think twice.

Agustín made his dream come true,

after all his family's sacrifices.

I think it’s the prize he wanted to gift his entire family with.

It means reaping the rewards

after a whole year of working hard.

For number one players, their entire bodies hurt,

they’re far from their family, they’re not happy for the most part…

and this was more like, ‘Well, we’ve managed to make history’.

I think that the unhappiness that comes with top-level sports

which many dismiss with ‘it’s amazing to be an athlete’...

It’s tough to be an athlete.

And I think that being world number one is making history.

The hard part about being number one

is staying there.

And although it may seem odd

before you become number one, you have to stay there.

Everyone always says, ‘No, the hard part about being number one

isn’t becoming number one but instead staying there’.

Do you know what I’d say to that?

I think what’s infinitely hard

is for them to behave as number one all day long.

He’s one of the standard bearers

of this generation of Argentinians.

As of this moment,

they’re now the number one pairing in the World Padel Tour

after winning…

These are experiences that are the loveliest there are.

That’s what I’ll take with me.

I’ll help them for as long as I can

and when I’m no longer around,

I’ll be at home watching them and enjoying their playing.

Tears of memories, sacrifice, starting to play when he was five, six years old,

working to get to the top, persevering, coming up short, losing tournaments,

losing in round one.

And today, in May 2023, Agustín Tapia has become the world number one.

In Catamarca, you could always find him in the same place.

The most special moment for him

was entering the Open court with his granddad Tito,

his dad Darío and his uncle David.

Before anyone else did,

they'd rubbed the lamp and discovered the genie.

That carefree little boy who played with toy figures with his friends

while his parents looked for him to remind him that he had to go on court

to play a final.

At just 12 years of age, he ran rings around everyone,

but nobody could really hate him.

His rivals today admire him as much as his rivals before.

Because he’s authentic,

carefree,

mature,

brilliant,

unique.

In Argentina, they dubbed him ‘Pollito’, (chicken)

and it sums him up perfectly. Because in the world that represents us,

to be a chicken is to be hope, the chosen one,

the unchallenged one.

Every match he plays is a must.

He motivates fans with every set, every point, every play

regardless of language, culture or city.

His lobs, his off-court shots, his reflexes, the intensity of his attacks,

the amazing shots, his chiquitas and his drop shots

are all part of the same language:

one that anyone, regardless of how much or how little they know about padel,

will know how to interpret.

Mozart, as he’s called,

was a child prodigy.

He improvised whatever he wanted on the piano,

just like him.

An orchestra brimming with unlimited resources

which keeps us on the edge of our seats

and our eyes wide open so as not to miss a single detail.

For someone who grew up in the mountains,

the summit was perhaps always a little closer.

But it was never as close as that Sunday in Vigo.

After a series of volleys that summed up an epic battle,

he fell to his knees,

overcome with emotion.

It was the end of the slope.

The summit of a slope that’s far from his hometown.

It’s game, set, match

and world number one.

And while his face is splashed across thousands of places,

Agustín’s humility and Tapia’s talent

show the world what being number one

is all about.