Bela after his final match: "I wanted to leave the way I lived my career"

Yesterday marked the end of an era in the world of padel. Fernando Belasteguín, the greatest padel player of all time, played his final professional tournament. After stepping off the court for the last time, he reflected on his career and its conclusion in an emotional statement.

"You can’t know how it feels to stop playing until you do. Now I know, and I’m very happy, very at peace," said Bela following his final match.

Bela has been the face of padel for three decades, holding the world No. 1 ranking for 16 years and amassing an extraordinary 230 titles. His career concluded at the Milano Premier Padel P1, where he and partner Tino Libaak were defeated in the round of 16 by Javi Garrido and Lucas Bergamini.

"I had already decided a while ago to play the full 2024 season. I had more tough times than good matches, but I wanted to leave the way I lived my whole career – fighting, battling, throwing myself to the ground, arguing with the referee, smashing the glass with my racket. I wanted to leave with my essence – that of a fighter," he explained.

"I was lucky enough to close out 30 years of professional career on my terms. Often, sport forces you to stop much earlier. And now, it’s been 10 or 15 minutes since I became an ex-professional player. And I feel very calm, truly calm."

Although Bela’s days as a professional player have come to an end, his legacy and influence will remain an integral part of the padel world.