Crosetti from the European Juniors: ”These teams impress the most”

Pablo Crosetti is the coach who has trained and followed Agustin Tapia since his early teens. Padel Alto interviewed the coach during the Junior European Championships in Valencia, where he helps future stars like Pablo Cardona and Noa Canovas. 

— We face this tournament with great enthusiasm because it is the first time a European Junior Championship is held. After what happened with the World Junior Championships being delayed and Spain unable to travel, we needed international competition. 

You train Agustin Tapia every day. What’s the difference between training him and these juniors?  

— The kids under 16 have an emotional part that they do not control very well, and the coach must be the support. But I can tell you that in our case with the juniors (U18), they are already  WPT matches. The recent match we just saw (Canovas/Fassio vs Canovas/Barrera) could have been an Open match in the World Padel Tour. 

How important are tournaments like this?

— As a coach, I have been asking for this European Championship. There were no competitions for a couple of years, while in South America, there was the Panamerican Championship. It was a bit unfair. Many European boys and girls had no international tournaments when they reached their second year of competition. 

And how important is it from a sporting point of view and development for the players? 

— I think it is a very important point within the structure that the FIP is trying to organize, together with the FIP Promises. I see it as the best tournament they could have put on the calendar.

”I was shocked by the level.”

Which teams have surprised you the most? 

— Of course, you can see that Spain is on another level, but it is a tournament organized for the national teams that are starting to have a junior circuit with all its structure. Coaches, players, schools, and clubs. I was surprised by teams like Lithuania or Hungary, which I had never seen before, and I find it incredible that padel is growing in those countries. 

He continues: 

— In terms of pure level, I was shocked by the level of the men’s national teams of France, Italy, and Portugal. The Swedish women’s team is excellent. The level shown by Sweden, in general, is impressive. I’m impressed by the countries that are just starting and the even level of the rest of the competitors’ Holland, Belgium, Sweden... I am pleasantly surprised.