A key figure in the world of padel,  Lucia Sainz  gave a long interview to  SPORTS , in which she directly addresses the question of her  retreat but also its  undiminished love of the game , the evolution of women's padel and its ambitions for 2026.

À  41 years The Catalan woman probably lives her  last seasons  at the highest level, without ever giving the impression of being at the end of the road.

 "I don't want this to be a retirement dictated by age." 

Lucía Sainz is not closing any doors, but refuses any hasty or imposed decision.

«  Yes, I'm thinking about retirement. Of course. But  I don't want it to be a question of age. I want it to be  my body and my head decide  »

She is clear-sighted and acknowledges that the discussion has begun, without setting a specific date.

"I don't know if it will be this year, next year, or in three years. I don't have a planned end date because I don't want to arrive at that point in a forced way."

 The flame still burns bright after 17 seasons 

What is most striking about Sainz is his  enthusiasm undiminished  after  17 professional seasons .

"I love what I do, and I'm lucky."  I enjoy training, I enjoy the preseason "I'm still hungry on the pitch."

It also measures the progress made by women's padel:

“When I started in 2010, everything was played in Spain, with seven tournaments between June and December. Today, there are Premier Padel"The FIP, the PPL, the Hexagon, the exhibitions... We travel everywhere."

 A more physical style of padel, but a successful adaptation. 

The Barcelona player also discusses the evolution of the game, now  faster and more physical .

"It's the natural evolution of sport. When everything becomes professionalized, you add the physical, the mental, the nutritional aspects... Bodies change, and so does the game."

She even believes that women's padel is going through a  very positive period  :

"The girls' game has evolved enormously. Today,  The amateur can also draw inspiration from girls And that's great for filling the stands.

 A new project with Raquel Eugenio 

After two seasons with Patty Llaguno, Lucía Sainz began a  new cycle  with  Raquel Eugenio , aged only 18.

"It's a radical change, but  Raquel brings me things I needed  after two years with Patty.

She hopes to establish this duo in the long term, despite the current instability of the circuit:

“Before, I was very attached to long-term projects. Today,  everything has changed "We need to adapt. I hope our project will last, which will mean that the results and the feeling are good."

 The new rules and the Star Point 

Sainz appears quite open to regulatory changes:

«  The new feature on the service seems positive to me. "Although it will be difficult to control without more cameras or referees."

Concerning  Star Point  :

"It doesn't bother me. We work on it in training. It's not as drastic as the golden point, and I think that's related to the length of the games for television."

 A clear-eyed look at women's padel and equality 

President of the IPPA Lucía Sainz continues to fight for a better  structural equality .

«  There is still no economic equality "Especially in the P1 and P2 divisions. And there's a huge gap between those who win and those who only make it through the qualifying rounds."

Its objective is clear:

"We need a coherent structure,  from young people to professionals "So that more female players can make a living from padel. Not just four."

 2026 goals: enjoyment, health and progress 

Without aiming for a return to the top, Lucía Sainz remains true to her values:

"My goal is  to be in good physical condition to continue working with joy and  evolve my game . And especially,  let my partner express herself and enjoy herself  »

Still competitive, still committed, Lucía Sainz moves forward without certainty about the end date… but with unwavering conviction:  As long as the passion is there, the story continues. .

Benjamin Dupouy

I discovered padel directly during a tournament, and frankly, I didn't really like it at first. But the second time, it was love at first sight, and since then, I haven't missed a single match. I'm even ready to stay up until 3am to watch a final of Premier Padel !

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