Juan Tello, El Gato Tello, is one of the best padel players in the world. The player from Cordoba of Premier Padel has shared the court with Paquito Navarro and Fede Chingotto, his eternal partner. Get to know Juan “El Gato” Tello like never before.
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Juan Tello Pablo. Thanks a lot. First of all, because we are in your house. I feel privileged, so thank you for opening the doors of your home to us. Maybe many people don’t know that one of your passions, beyond padel, it is basketball. Yes, basketball. The main passion.
And that’s why you started playing Padel late, because you started when you were 15 years old. I started when I was 15. Of course. In fact, I was training basketball and tennis. At the time I did both. No Padel. Padel was played by my friends. In which one were you better? Basketball.
Because I play left-handed. But I trained both of them and I went to watch my friends play Padel. And I was with them but and I didn’t play it. But of course, since I came from tennis, I got hooked very quickly. That’s what got me hooked. But…
In fact, I went to Capital to try playing basketball I was going that way, not Padel’s But you have got clear that you wanted to be an athlete. Yes, I did. Of course, it comes from my father, from my mother, they are all athletes,
In fact my sister is a tennis coach, my brother is now a Padel coach They are all more into tennis, but my father played almost semi-professional golf. That is, all of them are sportsmen. And could it be that your smash comes from the coordination of jumping in basketball?
Exactly, the typical two layup steps. And it comes naturally to you? Yes, later I started training it, but it wasn’t something specific that I had to train to do it, I could do it on my own, I improved it very little and that was enough. That is, all natural. Fortunately
I’m going to show you a video Juan, and I need you to tell me If you know when and where it is from. You recognize it? It’s not me, right? I’m there! The shaved. Yeah! Where and what year is it? It’s in… Pay attention to what you do.
Do you know what you are about to do? Don’t you remember? Ha! Nada Taurina, Nico Ojeda Cristian Ozan In Córdoba Capital. Pay attention… Nice touch, huh? I was already with Bullpadel Argentina What year is this from? 2013 or 2012? This is in 2014. If I’m not mistaken…
And it is before the first time you went to Spain. I came with Campa, right? Yes, from when you came with Campa OKay. Do you remember this picture? Yes, I remember. But is this here already? This is the Padel 2.0 club. Look. Yes. Look, with Juani Mieres… How old were you?
This is 2014 and you were born in 1995. 19 years. Has your mindset (head) changed a lot? It is bigger… (joking) Hahaha But hey, I have learned a lot of things, yes. And at this moment you came to Spain with a dream? I came to try, it wasn’t my dream. I came chilled
Padel was still something small in my life I was there to see if he would give me that opportunity. We came for three months with Campa, I think. And it went very well for us. It went very well. In fact, we agreed to come the next year, but he came and I didn’t.
I stayed in Argentina for economical reasons. Of course, because you were 18, 19 years old. I had sponsors, but logically it was not the same as today How did you tell your parents: I am going to try Padel in Spain for three months At the age of 19 it was very hard, but…
I think they believed in me, without a doubt. It’s your son’s dream… So you’re going to help him, I think, like I would do with my son… We are going to help him with whatever it takes, so that he meets his objectives. Definitely. But were you working?
I remember that I was coach in Córdoba Capital I went by bus on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which took an hour and a half. I always went twice a week to coach in a small town next to Córdoba. and I went back and trained… Was it your daily life?
Yes, I worked from Monday to Friday in another job I had from Monday to Friday and I earned 50 ARS per day at that time. From my friend Guille, who I remember gave me that opportunity to get some money in a business that sold car parts I did not understand anything about cars.
And you did everything to try to dedicate yourself to Padel? Yes. And to be able to continue with the day by day. And your parents never said: Juan, start studying No no. Once I started playing Padel more seriously, and I started winning in tournaments, I had a sponsor.
In fact, Bullpadel was one of the first. I have many people who would name her, but I’m not going to name her in case I forget someone… But I had a lot of help. But of course, I had to give my 100%. Juan, what happened on May 3, 2015? What happened?
What happened on May 3, 2015? It could changed you somehow life… On May 3, 2015 on May 25 (Argentine city), It is curious for a Spaniard that in Argentina you have many cities that are called as some dates on the calendar. A 250 point tournament with Chingotto, our first tournament
This was the final, if I’m not mistaken. No, the final was against Oveja (Agustín Gutiérrez). But this photo is from your first tournament together against Facu Dominguez In 2015 and your first tournament together and you won it. Yes, exactly. What did you think? We have to continue doing the same.
You see yourself from there. This is the club from the previous video. Padel Network Fortunately I had a lot of help that later I also had to prove my work not only on the court but in my day-to-day life. I don’t know if to return that help,
But you have to give 100%, if you want to get somewhere You can have that opportunity, yes, but if you want to continue having those opportunities, you have to give your 100% so that they continue to offer to you those. A couple that made it very difficult for you
Back then they were Stupa and Di Nenno you have faced them, not just today, all your life. And how is the rivalry going? Because there is actually a good relationship with them. There is a very good relationship. Personally, I also have more contact with Martín because he lives here too.
Maria is a very good friend of Camila and this relationship has already strengthened even more so with Martín. With Franco it is still the same relationship, Tournament by tournament I see him and also in World Cups minors tournaments, but very good relationship with both.
Very good relationship, obviously on the court you want to kill them. but we know each other a lot. A classic match I would tell you, Fede and I now separately, but all our lives we have faced each other… And what did you feel? Because they were
Numbers one and they had already come to Spain… They started earlier what I did later They came for two or three months and came back. I started doing that later, but they already had that European experience. And it was noticeble… they had won everything. And there is an epic match,
I think it is the match against them. Fede and I at a match in Buenos Aires. Who won? They won. They have almost always won… We have won sometimes, but the 4 of us have always competed, always. And today, when you have them in front of you,
And you are warming up with the Superpibes You don’t have any flashback to say Ten years ago we were doing this in Buenos Aires. And another day here. And what we have left… It could be that I see it so normal, that those memories no longer come to mind
And in fact you are making me remember things that I had already forgotten. Well let’s go to the next memory, August 22, 2016 You appear saying this: How do you find all that? Wait for the volume to go up. That’s La Nucía, right? I think not anymore.
I remember what happened, something very funny happened too… August 22, 2016. I never liked listening to myself talk… You have to listen to this one How are you? We are Juan and Fede We are in our first WPT together The truth is that we came
A week ago and we are adapting to the conditions of the court We are very happy to enter the qualifiers, it is a great result together Are we in qualifiers there? Happy to continue fighting as always. And well, we send greetings to all those who are supporting us there and giving us strength,
A hug for everyone. August 22nd. There we enter into preview. Yes, it’s your first WPT together. In Nucía. And I think that today we enter the picture, right? I think not, but I don’t know. But I remember the field and the place where they lifted Chingo on the shoulders, all the people.
Because they couldn’t with you, right? Definitely. What did that first WPT mean? You were nervous about be in the “Champions League”. Yes, and to prove… Because all your people are watching how you are doing it. There would be few people there, right? There yes, but I say from your home, from your country,
We had a lot of people behind us and we were the second pair because Martín and Franco also came when they were younger and now it was us too. Besides, I was the only one from my city who had left there. And I was nervous thinking about all that…
But what did you think there? Did you have the memory of thinking: This is my first WPT, in two years I’m number 1? No no no… Or let’s see if they don’t beat me 6-0, 6-0? We went step by step. We are trying to find out how they played, because our game there
In Argentina it was much faster because the court was made of concrete The ball ran a lot and went to your body And just by putting the racket the ball used to take speed, but here it was very different. For us it was a different padel.
And I, who normally smashed hard, picked up a lot of speed on that court. and finished the point. But here it didn’t work just with that Here you had to smash better and do more shots x3. Because here everyone hit x3 and the ball got out the court
And that made each game different. Did you doubt yourself? No, not that, never, never. With Fede we came with the mentality and the thought of trying to do it well, because this was our thing. People probably don’t know, When you arrived to Spain, you were living in Malaga and in a thousand places
We took trips to all places… Even from Malaga to Monaco Some very crazy adventures… and a path so that you are where you are today. Yes, maybe we came late to Madrid It was the place where all the people were, all the coaches.
And maybe that’s why we lost a little time, I think, to try to progress sooner with Fede, although we were always fighting We were progressing little by little, but we have also learned and enjoyed everything that experience, of each new city, of new people. So, at least I don’t regret it.
Well Juan, if that was August 22, 2016, less than a year later this happens And you really have to remember this. Good step… Yeah… Valladolid against… Cepero – Santana? No I wouldn’t have remembered… Is this round of 32? No, this is the round of 16… Look at your face… Yes…
Could it be that you cried? It could be… Against Lamperti and Mieres… Our first quarterfinals Which later were your first semis. Because you also won in the quarterfinals… We also won. We haven’t done every crazy thing with Fede that sometimes we couldn’t even believe it…
In such a short time… Because so many things happen that you don’t even remember Were you not aware at the time? No, we were two children. And how has your head changed? How has Juan Tello’s mentality changed from 2017 to today? Let’s see, today I am totally different, totally.
I no longer smash all the lobs, all the high balls that my wife liked because she comes from tennis, so she likes the fast game But I have changed my head a lot, my style of play. Completely. And I think we still have to continue changing because it continues to evolve and
We don’t know what remains to be changed for Padel and each player. If you could give that Juan some advice Tell it from 2016 or 2017, with all the knowledge you have now, which one would it be? I would tell him that we would have come to Madrid sooner,
Which was where everyone was to try to make that step before. And on a personal level? Something that is not focused on Padel? Focus more on my personal life. I used to travel a lot, move a lot… I don’t know if I used to train well…
And do you see yourself as a number one in your career? Yes, I want much more, I want much more. We are trying now with Alex Ruiz we coordinate everything we have to coordinate, we improve what we have to improve, but I still think I’m capable for much more
I have a lot of faith, but what I don’t lack is the desire, the seriousness I go every day with, I train, the importance I give to work… Because it’s not just the tournament week, but day to day… There you have to give 100%
To also give your best in the tournament, because if you don’t do well here You can have a bad day there. Juan, entering the Padel court is work for you? 100% When you see Martín, Chingotto or Stupa in competition, I put friendship aside, because this is work.
But you have some fun at your job? Phew… I try. I am very serious on the court, I try not to get distracted by anything Because I’m already distracted by making plays that I shouldn’t have and in that I am trying to improve. Try to improve your decision making…
And now I’m feeling very good. I think I’m improving and I think I can improve even more… But when I’m serious it’s not because I’m angry, but because I try not to get distracted by anything. Today there are almost two hours of the game, and that time I have to be at 100%
And do you do it in the same way when training? Of course, if I want to be at my best in the game I also have to be in training… because somehow you also have to train that. If you only go to training sessions more relaxed, then don’t try to
Be connected the whole game or to be serious in the games. What you do in matches you also have to do in training so you can do it easier later. Relaxing doesn’t work. Juan, how did you meet your wife? Maria? If you can tell… Yes of course.
A very crazy story, very cute, very everything. In Murcia, in fact, I think I injured my foot again. And we went down to pre-qualifiers with Fede. We enter the draw, but while we played the qualifiers She went to see her coach, she had no idea about Padel, María was 100% a tennis player
The wrong sport. Exactly. Of course, that’s why everything comes from the fact that he liked it, because of course, I was the one that smashed everything back then, played everything fast… The most tennis player of the Padel players And she came from tennis
And she went to see her coach, who also plays pre-qualifiers. And of course, I was there playing too and her teacher tells her: This one smashes hard He plays how I want to play… And Padel was calmer, but I used to play everything very fast…
And nothing happened, but she had already seen me. You didn’t know anything. Absolutely nothing… That’s what she told her friends and her coach. Well, it was Saturday, We entered the semi-finals with Fede in the last tournament in Murcia, because later it went to Alicante, it was no longer done in Murcia.
We played the semi-final and her friends, who where Padel fans, They were going out to party in Murcia, she and her friends live in Totana and Alhama. So her friends were not going to go watch the Padel matches in Murcia, go back to look for María to Totana and party again in Murcia.
So she accompanies her friends to watch the semi-final. And who was playing in the semi-final? The same guy I had seen in pre-qualifiers And when she finds out she tells her friends: Let’s encourage the boy, I like him. Well we lost against Sanyo and Maxi
I remember that there was no direct contact with people but there was a stand above And as I leave the court I hear someone shouting at me asking me for the t-shirt, because she saw me seriously playing and she saw Chingo always smiling and small and just that makes you smile.
And I looked very serious And on top of that I had lost, so you can imagine… And her idea was to make me smile by asking me for something: give me a t-shirt, and I looked at her and told her that I couldn’t give her the t-shirt.
And she said: give me a sock or whatever. I told her no and nothing else happened I left angry with anxiety and nerves. And the next day, At that time I the one who was managing my social media, I see a message on Instagram
Of her telling me: I’m the one who asked you the shirt, the sock… I wanted to wish you luck… She was cordial at that time And the message time is 05:00 am Imagine… And you saw him the next morning? Exactly nothing else happened In fact, we stopped talking
I went to Argentina to spend Christmas there I was there December, January and February. And in March I returned to start competing and those three months we didn’t talk But of course, I found out that the friend wrote that message to me, it wasn’t her.
And she said that she had seen a connection between us… Imagine how they were at 05:00 am for them to write me that message… Fortunately, the message didn’t have any spelling errors, so they weren’t very drunk either. And that’s where it all started and it’s all coincidence…
Because she went to see pre-qualifier, then semi-final… and we were in both I mean, Padel has given you a job and the love of your life. until it is April 16, 2020. If it changes your life. The 15th was when the devil arrived The blonde guy, everything very fast
And that makes everything change completely. Today he is three and a half years old Now he will arrive home shortly How does it change you? Change everything, but first, personally it changes your life Now one understands the concern of parents Your mom and dad who take care of you and
When your mother tells you: take care of yourself, let me know when you arrive, let me know… And now you understand it, you understand it when you are a father, understand that concern of a father and a mother and also what is enjoyed now.
I think he is 3 and a half years old now and that is the best age for me. Try to talk, run, wants to explain to you things He also repeats everything that was done so you have to be very careful. Incredible happiness. And spending so much time far from them…
For me he grows very fast. Yes, what I always say. I am leaving for two weeks It seems to me that he has grown a meter, He has learned a new word, he tells you everything he has done and what he remembers.
He talks like her grandmother, he talks like her mother and he has my face. And Juan from a moment as happy as that on October 3 of last year, to one that has surely been one of the worst moments, I imagine, from your sport career or from the most difficult ones,
That was when I imagine you picked up the phone or I don’t know how you did it. and you told Fede that… Yes, to let him know… We weren’t playing well and there were more bad results than good… We do not have good feelings and the ideal, I believe,
It would have been to end the year with Fede, but since there were so many tournaments still to play and since there was a lot of time left and I didn’t want to end badly… It was very hard, it was difficult after so many years and fortunately I think it came together
Everything also to finish in Buenos Aires, in Argentina. Close home It could have ended well, but it was the moment, one of the most difficult ones I was in Murcia and I remember that it was calling on the phone, and I practically called him after Paco had offered me to play with him
And since Fede is so affectionate, he is so good, He told me: Go ahead, whatever. But of course, we are already signed up to play in Buenos Aires together and another tournament And we couldn’t do anything… So it was very strange because I think I played one with Fede
Another with Paco or something like that. A mess… and then I returned to separate with Fede in Buenos Aires. Did your voice shake when you called him? Yeah, I didn’t know how to tell him… Did you have a script written? No, nothing, nothing, nothing.
I think I was the most direct because I didn’t know how to tell him that… you can imagine. I don’t know, I didn’t know… I mean, it has to be very hard. Yes, obviously you tell him that Paco called you, that you think about the situation you are in now,
You talk about how he sees it and how I see it. Paco obviously it is important… but what caught my attention and what made me take the step to change It was that he wanted to play on the right and that I was going to continue playing on the backhand…
It was a very crazy change, because Paco was always the opposite… He played once, I think it was with Lebron or they were changing or something like that, but It shocked me and I thought it could turn out well. Coello – Tapia was not there at the time, so we wanted to copy
The Lebron-Galán model. And I said. Let’s play together, let’s try but give me a moment to tell Fede. But his bet caught my attention. Did you learn anything from all the brain chaos you must have had? Would you have done it differently today? No, I don’t think I would have found a way…
If more time had passed, weighing it would have been worse… That was the moment to communicate it, with conviction… It had to be quick, because if not… because if he had found out from someone other than me… The world of padel is very small and everyone knows about it
And in the simplest way to say it, but it’s not easy… And Juan, do you consider that you are happy dedicating yourself to what you do? Yes, I don’t know if now it’s what makes me the most happy or maybe
I’m tired or maybe I’ve been doing it for a long time, or the same routine, I don’t know… It is true that I am very strict, with food, with training and sometimes it stresses me out, andit also stresses my environment…
But I don’t know if I would define it as what makes me the most happy. or if it makes me happy… I’m fine, I like it, but it’s not what makes me the most happy. I don’t think so. But does it make you happy?
Yes, yes, I enjoy it and I try to enjoy it and I try to express it. And what would you change about your life? Don’t be away for too long from my Argentine family, from my family here Not having that distance or trying to be more together.
Without a doubt it is the main thing. And Juan, what has Juan’s from el Gato and el Gato from Juan’s, because on the court you are super serious, it looks like you want to kill someone I literally try to think that, because if not,
Nowadays you already know yourself because the group is so small that you have a little more relationship with one, with another, but I am the typical one who is more independent and does not relate as much I honestly don’t like having that contact with someone who I’m going to face later.
Because I think that respect you have to always have it, no matter who it is, obviously it can have more relationship with others, but trying to differentiate the competition from the personal is the main thing What does el Gato have the tournament week?
Because he goes to work and tries to do his best. Because everything he has to do to win he will do, he pushes 100% and wants to win and obviously with respect, but he is going to do it. And in his daily life, Juan, who is a family man,
Tries to improve every day, obviously. What things does Juan try to improve every day? For example, I am currently working on expressing my feelings towards those closest people. I consider myself a closed person, less expressive… I am not a person who expresses feelings much. but I’m also a soft person deep down
I try not to show that internal part… But personally I’m trying to change it and to be more expressive… Thank you very much for everything Juan. It has made me remember very good things, very good things It looks like you’ve been investigating…
Thank you very much for coming to my house mainly, and you know that I am here for whatever it takes. Thanks to you Juan!
2 Comments
Love u Pablo
El Gato started from basketball as a lefty?? He is my idol now!! 😁😁