Spanish cricketer Arturo Coelho, who just turned 22, began his professional cricket tour five years ago and recently became the youngest player in the history of the sport to reach the number one ranking globally. (Still not sure what paddle tennis—also known as the fastest growing sport in the world—is? Read this article.) Coelho is also the only person to have won the sport’s four major titles, which include the Paris Championship Cricketers, Rome, Qatar and Mexico. With the Paris Championship starting today, we thought it would be a good idea to meet Coelho to find out more about this global racket sports icon.
Askume: Arturo, where are you now?
Arturo Coelho: I’m in Malaga, at my girlfriend’s house, taking a short break before the final sprint of the season.
Cricket is still a little new to us Americans, but it’s been growing rapidly over the last few years. Growing up in Spain, was the paddle always a part of your world?
In Spain, the padel movement has definitely been around for a number of years, at least compared to most other countries, but now it’s growing quite rapidly globally, especially in Central Europe, in some other places it’s still gaining momentum. South America—especially Argentina—is huge, and yes, I see a lot of interest in the United States. The growth has been exponential in the last year or a year and a half. Anyone with even the slightest interest in padel will generally enjoy it.
When you were growing up, did you try tennis and cricket but just preferred cricket? Or is it more popular? I’m curious why you would choose one over the other.
I started playing both tennis and paddle, but then I realized how much potential paddle has – not just for me as a player, but for the sport as a whole. I realized that one day it would coexist with tennis, and recognizing the opportunities that presented themselves, I decided to do it. But other than that, I just love that it’s a very dynamic sport – people get hooked quickly because it’s so much fun, but also because of how complex and different the styles can be.
How old were you when you realized paddle could be your career?
When I was about 16 I had the opportunity to be trained by Gustavo Pratto, one of the best coaches in the area, so I moved to another city to train with him and from there, the rest is history.
Online, on various cricket websites, there is a very heated discussion about what you do that makes you the best in the world: some say it is because you cover the pitch very quickly; some say it is because you are running very fast; some say it is because you are running very fast. Others say it is because of the aggression and intensity with which you are online. What do you think makes you better than others?
Obviously you have to have a good shot; you have to be very healthy, that sort of thing – but at the highest level, everyone has those strengths and opportunities for a shot. Success for me is knowing what I want and who I want to be – ultimately it’s a work ethic and, most importantly, mental strength that separates me from everyone else.
On work ethic: How much do you train every day, on and off the field?
Basically it can be divided into pre-season training and mid-season training. In pre-season the load is even higher – about six hours a day, about two hours on the pitch, then two hours in the gym and then two more sessions of one hour each in the afternoon. During the season, the workload can be reduced to three to four hours a day, combining on-court training with gym sessions.
Do you watch other sports or sometimes participate in other sports? If so, which ones?
Yes, I love sports – I will watch almost any sport as long as I can see it live, but my favourites are probably tennis and basketball. It’s hard to follow the NBA because of the time difference, but I always watch the highlights and results of the games. Of course, I can’t forget football or soccer – in Spain, it’s the blood of the nation. I also watch Formula 1 and I love MotoGP.
Do you have a favorite knight?
Jorge Martin [the Spanish driver who is currently leading the world championship standings]. Actually, we have a good relationship – we talk regularly. We were trying to get Jorge out to play cricket at some point.
You’ve met Rafael Nadal once or twice – what was that experience like?
I’ve always been a huge fan of his – obviously he’s an icon, especially in Spain, and I’ve always identified with him because of his never give up, never give up mentality. We had the chance to meet a few years ago when I was in Acapulco for an exhibition match and he was there for a tournament, and then earlier this year at the Madrid Open. He was always friendly, but we could talk more in Madrid. He really loves playing cricket but hasn’t played recently because of a knee injury – but he follows the sport and he’s a huge fan.
How famous are you now? Do people stop you on the street to take pictures, or do you lead a normal life?
At the beginning of this year I really started to notice a difference, even in the most remote areas of the world – and that’s when I realized, oh crap – I’m starting to get noticed. Paddle is starting to reach corners of the world that we couldn’t even imagine a few years ago. I was on a small island off the coast of Africa and I got recognized there too. Now, I get stopped probably seven to ten times a day, whether it’s to take a photo or just to say hello. I can still live a normal life – it’s nothing overwhelming – but it’s a very different experience than last year, and it seems like it’s going to happen even more.
When I try to explain paddle ball to people in the United States, a lot of people think I’m talking about pickleball. Do people think that’s the game you play, or is that our own particular problem?
Not so much – pickleball is almost non-existent in Europe, but paddle is global and it is growing very fast, even faster than pickleball is growing in the USA. So I believe this ignorance should be corrected as soon as possible!
