La Española que Dejó su Trabajo Corporativo por el Pickleball Profesional | Paula Rives

0:00Presidents, [music] this video you are about to see is a podcast that we recorded with Pa Rives a couple [music] months ago. Uh, due to logistical issues we have n't published it and honestly [music] we forgot about it over time. This was a video we made with Paula Rives, whom we interviewed. For those who don't know who Paula Rives is, she is the second best Spanish [music] player in Duper and currently a player for the

0:30MLP team Florida Smash. She was also a champion [music] with the Spanish team in the 2024 European Championship and has [music] beaten players such as JW Johnson, Catherine Parento, Conor Carnet, among others. Without further ado, don't forget [music] to subscribe, like, and share this video with another peak lover. Without further ado, here [music] is our interview with Pala Rives. Here's our interview with Pala Rifs. Before I introduce you to Paula,

1:07subscribe to the channel so that I can pay off the mortgage on the house in a year. [laughs] Diapers, diapers. The baby is costing me too much money. But anyway, without further ado, how can I put it , Paola River? Bravo. Who is it? Who is Paola Rives? [music] Say if your last name. Ribes. Ribes. Ribes. Ribes is very, very American to me. Let's go with Ribes. Uh, well, I'm a [musician] from Spain. Which part? Barcelona.

1:38Which community? Badalona. [laughs] If there's anyone from Badalona subscribed to your channel, uh, and [music] nothing, I grew up there, I played tennis all my life, I came to the United States for college tennis and and [music] nothing. And how, I mean, how did I get into playing Pickball? Uh, they happened, I graduated in 2018 and it was in 2023 [music] when I met Pickball. Uh, I was a coach at a university called

2:04HCC in Tampa and I always saw everyone playing peckable there and one day I decided to try it. Nothing, just to do something different, [music] yeah? Nothing, just burning calories, playing some sports, and then in a couple of months I met [music] the people at that time from Tampa Pickball, who well, actually Angelo [music] was part of why I started Pickball and well, also the truth is and I met you

2:32too during my first few months and then [music] was when I decided to take it a little more seriously. And you, since you started playing Pickball, it was like you always had that vision that it could be your career in some aspect because I remember you did tournaments with Ana, then you started giving up Pickball classes, but it was always like that or it was like you worked near that

2:56cafe where we used to go, I mean, when it was like, you know, this could be my job, I would like to work doing this. It just happened. Not really, when I started it wasn't like either I want to make this my career or I see myself playing [music] professionally. I knew nothing about the professional world. They didn't have any friends who played [music] professionally. So, little by little, when I started, I met Ana,

3:20I played. My first tournament was 3.0 and we won and from there I got my duper which was like a 4.9. Everyone hated me because they said, "What's she doing playing 3.0?" But I had no idea about music. And yes, I started as I saw it, the business side, uh, then I started [music], doing tournaments and nothing, little by little, in the end I was at it for like a year, a year and a half, I

3:43think I really didn't know what I wanted to do. Mm. I had a corporate job, I went [music] to an office, it was project management, I mean, I wasn't even really teaching, my first year was totally part-time and just for playing sports. I knew I could be good, so that kind of motivates you because everyone tells you, "Ah, [music] can be good." Uh, but I never really decided to take the [music] leap in my

4:06first year. It took me a little while. And you, I mean, you started out as the director of Pickball on Lifetime, uh, yes. Did you have serious work with your [music] corporate job or had you already quit? No, I started playing PC in 2023 and then a year later, [music] like 2024, when I was going to some tournaments, I decided that I wanted to work in the sport, that I wanted to get out, [music] that working

4:33in an office wasn't making me happy. I had always wanted to work in sports, but I never wanted to be [music] too closely associated with tennis. It was a little burnt. So, uh, I got a job at Lifetime. It was more like a coaching role. Uh-huh. Uh, from there I got into directing at Lifetime and after [music] like 8 or 10 months I got this job here at Pickel Pine, which is what really

4:52changed and helped me to be able to be professional. Of course, because when, I mean, when you had the job interview here [music] and it was already clear that you were going to play more tournaments. Yes, when I got that job [music] it was May 2025, which was right when I was talking to PPA about the possibility of signing. [music] Up until that point I had actually played, obviously some

5:14professional tournaments, but my focus was traveling, I mean, I had gone to Spain to play, been to Australia to play [music] India, but I did n't know that I wanted to do that full time. Uh, but when I started talking to Palen Pine, it was around the same time as PPA, and I was very clear with them. I said, "Look, this is what I want to do. Uh, would you support me?

5:34Do you want me to, like, help me travel? Help Palen bring people in, and it's like a partnership, help, help. Yeah. And well, I was very lucky, really, to find the perfect job at the right time. Because, I mean, I want you to tell us about that, because you went from 5.0 to traveling to MLP, Australia, I mean, tell us about it. It seems like at the time it was super new, I mean, everyone does it.

6:03To India, I think you've been to India too, but how did that really start? My first time, I mean, saying I could travel internationally and do this, was thanks to the European selection, well, from Spain. I was very lucky." I met Claudia, a Spanish player who lives here, and she was the one who put me in touch with them. That was the first time I traveled outside the United States and started meeting people from other

6:32places. And then, my friend Rodrigo Reyes, who's also from the area, one of the OGs of Pickball, was the first person I played a professional tournament with . He told me about India, and we signed up. And well, from India I met all the people from Australia, and from there I went to Australia. Yeah, a lot of people. The truth is, at that time, a lot of people from the United States weren't doing it yet.

7:00When I went to Australia, there weren't many players, like two or three from around here. Most of them are from Asia, Australia, all that. But India was also one of the first times everyone went to... [Music] over there, it was a... And you also played in Canada, right? Oh, yes, I remember that too, I remember those. Actually, yes, Canada was in 2024, which was when I wasn't [Music] that good yet, but it was also thanks to

7:27Rodrigo Reyes. He told me about [Music] going to Canada and it was a good experience. It was like two or three times. That was like during the time of the wars, the [Music] leagues, when suddenly a Canadian league appeared and started signing some people from around here, and then [Music] I would have done better if I had been in the war here, but I hadn't really played any professional [Music] tournaments yet, so I was

7:53too late. But what a crazy time. Yes, [Singing] I've heard from you that you really enjoyed your [Music] experience in MP, Australia, and then we're going to delve further into [Music] your experience here, But they told me you liked it more, you liked it more beyond that, like the vibes, [music] I mean, what's the difference in terms of organization? Not so much the level, because I think it's better here, but more

8:18like the difference between playing MP Australia and MP USA. I don't know if it was also because it was my first experience, but I feel [music] that everyone there isn't so, uh, political, let's say, a better [music] way of putting it. Uh, obviously my experience here has also been great, but it was the first time playing on teams [music] like in pickable and my team was love and [music] I mean, you could feel the passion

8:46when you went there. But well, in the [music] end, it's different because you're not playing for so much money or such a strong status. It's more relaxed. It was a very good experience. Less pressure. Yes, also less pressure. And that was after the European [music] Championship. Yes, the European Championship was my first experience outside of that because my mind is on the On the contrary, the [music] Austral and then the Championship,

9:12right? The European Championship was in October 2024, that [music] was the first time, and then it was to India in January 2025, and then Australia. Australia was literally, I left MLP Australia to get into MLP Americas. [music] So it was almost a matter of months apart. It seems like it was a long time ago , but yeah, when I was thinking about it before, thinking about the interview, I said, [music] "Wow, fast."

9:34Yeah, it was all like from one month to the next. And there, [music] I mean, how was that in Venezuela or when we played the World Cup, then the European World Cup, was it all more professional? [music] How, I mean, how did you get on the Spanish team? Well, uh, actually, [music] Glauca, like I said, my friend who lives here, she's very involved with PEB in Spain because she has a company, she

9:58goes there a lot to do clinics, [music] so Thanks to her, she recommended me, uh, I spoke with the selector [music], and honestly, that was the best experience of my life in Pablo. Tell us about it. It was for me [music], really, everything that came before, they sent us the outfits and everything, so I didn't really know much about what was going to happen. It was my first, it was also the first year of the [music]

10:21European Championship. So, we didn't know what was coming, but it was really cool because it's organized by the tennis federation, [music], so you feel very official, you know? The whole federation. Ah, the ITF, uh, it's called RFT. Yes, exactly. But of course, you know, on the website [music], I'm from , I mean, my ancestors are from the Canary Islands. I've never been there. Someday, someday I'll reconnect with the Spanish kingdom. You have to go. [laughs]

10:50Okay, [music], let's continue. [laughs] Oh, so with the Spanish Federation. Right, so it's all very official in that sense, right? So, like [music] they're putting on the Instagram page where they put Rafana taking a picture, they put you next, like, or the guys from Pickable, you know? So it was cool in the sense [music] of wow, uh, I get to go to Spain, represent Spain, my family, everyone who really has no idea about

11:12Pickable [music] is like, wow, you know? You're a star. [laughs] So, right, we went to... We arrived in London, uh, ah, it was in London. [music] It was, uh, well, not in London, sorry, in... I do n't even remember the place, in England. Uh, it was in England and [music] we all arrived at the airport together. I was one of the only ones who came from the United States and they gave us our big red

11:38[music] acceleration jackets and I don't know, it was incredible. We estimated There were only four or four days, [music] but all the training, I don't know, with your people and [music] I had never met any of them. Yeah, but it was like a family in those [music] days, it was incredible, and well, the first few days were tough because there's a lot of pickable players, you have [music] to adjust. I

11:59mean, I arrived around 10 at night one day and we played the next day, and I came from here, different. Of course, luckily the first day was like a group stage or whatever, and well, [music] obviously the level is a little lower, so we were able to advance, but well, the moment [music] of winning with Glau and the team was incredible. I was lucky enough to play in all the finals and well,

12:25a dream, [music] really. I'd like to do it every year. Uh, that's what I was going to ask you, if you would do it again . Yeah, [music] I mean, that's why it's the only one The only thing that depends on your contract is whether you can do it or not. No, I couldn't go in 2025. They called me again, but I had to say no. Unfortunately, yes. That's the

12:41only bad thing about being on the Tour here, that they don't let you do international tours. I have a question, because I know of other players who have decided to take the route of playing more like in India or on these tours that exist now in other parts of the world where they get paid something. Did you ever consider doing that instead of signing with the PPA? Uh, yes, yes. At the beginning, when I

13:09say 2025, when I started doing it, I was coming in super high from the European Tour, I started in India, which paid very well, MLP, Australia, uh, how much? [laughs] Uh, it varied from about 10,000 to 30,000 for the two weeks and they covered everything. That's Money they gave you just for going. Wow. [laughs] But India, no. India, India was brutal. I'm not going to lie, it's not the

13:39best place I've ever been, but it's worth it . But the hotels were kind of weird, the area or the hotels were [singing] dirty. You can have a really good hotel, but it 's still kind of dirty and [music] in the end, yeah, culturally you can't do anything, you can only eat at the hotel, so of course, it takes away all the beautiful part of traveling, right? So, [music] in that respect, well,

14:05no. And also, India, I mean, as a woman it's dangerous. I mean, I was [music] there for a month and you feel it. Yeah, because my sister's best friend got married, [music] so we took a trip there, the wedding was incredible, it lasted 3 days, [music] and no alcohol, I mean, everything is like a ceremony, food, you know? But [music] it was really good experience, but yeah, I mean, people would tell us as

14:29women, like, after 7 at night, don't even think about going out alone, you know? Yeah, I mean, I come from Mexico City, which isn't exactly the safest place in the world, you know? But yeah, so I understand, ' There are a lot of people there,' [laughs] really. You don't get a minute's rest there. It's chaotic. There are too many people. They reproduce like rabbits. [laughs] Yeah, a lot, but I want

14:58$30,000 and then you went to the European Championship, I mean, European Championship, MLP Asia, India, no, India and then MLP Asia. India. But when I went to India I was already selected for MLP Asia, for Australia. You already put your name in. So luckily I went to India and met a lot of people from Melfy, Australia and then that's when, uh yeah, like when I realized to get to know that area.

15:25And how did you manage to travel and then come back to work? How did you handle that mentally and physically? Yes, well, at that time I was with Lifetime when I switched to Lifetime, which was my goal to be able to travel more. The truth is, it was a shock because I really thought I was going to train a lot more, that it was going to be much easier, but I'm not going to lie, it was

15:45quite difficult because Lifetime was very corporate and I also had to teach a lot of classes. So, well, luckily they also supported me and let me travel to India. I was there for about two weeks, then I came back for about a month or so. Then Australia was a bit of a drain on me because the trip is so long. Yes. But, well, I was supposed to do it six times. When I was on

16:14the third trip, I said, I don't know, I don't know if I'm going to... to be able to do this six times. [music] But because you were going there for a week or less. Well, the first time I went I treated it like a trip, [music] uh? So I went for two weeks, I kind of took advantage of it to visit because I didn't know

16:28if I was going to come back, and the second time I did go for a week and returned to New Zealand. Uh, [music] so yeah, I mean, you never adapt, you never... you don't have time. A week, you don't have time with the schedule, at least it's impossible to do everything. So, in the end, I wasn't playing here, obviously. So, in the end, [music] you kind of forget about yourself here while you're doing all the

16:48international stuff. And going back to the question of [music] if you had thought about doing that and not PPA, well, yes, that's what I wanted to do at that moment, I said, well, I'm going to [music] do international, there's money, why would I sign PPA? Uh, I didn't really see the benefit, [music] but well, uh, after doing it for a couple of months, the opportunity presented itself and I changed my mind.

17:15[music] The truth is that in the end I feel that when you're already involved and I... and in the end it took me quite a while, it took me a year and a half [music] to decide what I wanted to do, but I wanted to be relevant, I wanted to be the best player I could be and [music] in the end I said, well, I feel like I'm half pro. I mean, yes, I play pro,

17:35but I'm not really a pro. I didn't consider myself [music] a full pro. So, uh, I said, well, if I want to do it, I have to [music] do it in the most professional way I can and decide to give myself the chance. And when PPA offers you that they want to [music] sign you, that happens because of that result you had, I think you beat the 15th [music] in the world or

17:58something like that, right? At one point. How? I think Irina, right? Yeah, but that [music] was... that's the crazy thing, that was my first tournament. That was in 2023. I started in June [music], and on November 23rd, I went to Deitona and beat him. It was 5 [music] at the time, but nothing came of it. That's really the problem. I started, that happened, and then from there, like [music]. Yeah, right, it's not like the

18:25world comes to you, you know? No, nothing happened. From there, then, I kind of stayed [music]. Actually, signing with PPA was thanks to my agent. Uh, greetings. Greetings to Neidan. [laughs] Greetings to everyone. It could be the people here on the show, too. [laughs] We talked about a commission. Uh, [music], he was there, and I said, "Look, Nan, I do want to, I do want to sign." This is what I want." Then Nan

18:51called PPA [musician] and said, "Look, I have this player. These are their results. European cattle, [music] is his duper, he's in Australia, he 's doing well and well, they gave me the opportunity. [music] We started, we started in corporate work, from there we went to 5-0, then we went to European Championship India MLP, towards MLP, Australia, PPA. Now tell us about MLP [music] US. Well, that was an interesting story because

19:24when I signed, I signed PPA [music], I think in May or June of last year, and I really feel like you signed a long time ago, 10 years ago. [laughs] Now it's going to be Yes, it's going to be right about to be a year old. My first tournament was in Atlanta last year. So, obviously the MLP draft had already happened, the teams were already there, there was already [music] I did

19:48n't think I was going to get into MLP. Then, when Pepe Atlanta passed by, I found out that Florida [music] Smash, who was surely going to drop Sara Antsbury. [music] Ah, I don't know, I don't know how they find out , I don't remember right now. And at that time Florida Smash is obviously the local [music] team. I have never spoken to Graham or Travis in my life , not a word, not even a hello.

20:12Okay. So, I mean, damn it, [music] how do I talk to them? So, I don't know, I think I asked David for CR's number , maybe, right? Commission. Yes. [laughs] Ah, I told him, Patricio, I think, I don't know, a couple of people, write to Gram, tell him [music] that I'm interested, that I'm local, that they know me, you know? Because I think Graham didn't even answer me [music] the first time I wrote to him. So,

20:40I wrote to him again and said, "Look, I'm really keen, [music] I have great energy, I'm training, I'm local, I know you want local people, like, give me a chance." And he said to me, "No." He told me, "No, the first thing." Oh, yes, no. He told me, "Look, no, let's [music] go in another direction." Okay. So, uh, nothing, we arrived at [music] Pepe, in San Clemente, uh, it was that week that was

21:04the waver period, which is said to be when they leave one girl and pick up another. And then suddenly I get a call around 6 in the morning, and it's Gram, and he says, "Look, uh, [music] we're going to get you. [laughs] Look, but you told me two days ago that it wasn't going in any other direction. What happened? Did you run out of [laughs] uh, something happened, obviously, like I said, they did

21:30n't even know me. [music] Luckily, it was a run and I had won my game the day before, so I'm like , thank goodness. I mean, [music] if I had lost, they probably wouldn't have picked me, right? But I know that obviously they wanted Ky Kin Campbell, who was Keon's sister, who obviously went to another team. So, [music] I think that's when the opportunity to call came up. I got the opportunity, I think

21:50because I wrote, because I put my name there, if I hadn't been persistent, [music] I wouldn't have been on the team because they wouldn't have known my name. They would have picked someone else. people who might have met me. Uh, nothing, then the following week MLP started. So, [music] I had a trip back from San Clemente and two days later I left. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was super fast. But Paula was playing MP right now. What?

22:14[music] Yeah, I mean, it wasn't literally three days. I got to the airport, Travis was there, like [music] talking to me, and he looked at me and said hi and I said, "I'm your partner." [laughs] accompanying the team, huh? And well, [music] from there, obviously you made partners with him in the game, I mean, in uh yeah, in that one in San Clemente I played with him, but well, the truth is that it's

22:36, I mean, I really think that last year MLP [music] was very much the Challenger, simply because there were only six teams and we played it was very strange. It was very strange in the sense that I don't know if it was what I expected in that sense because in the end we played [music] we played one week, we would leave on Tuesday, we would come back on Sunday and you would leave on Tuesday [music] again,

22:58so it was like 8 weeks like that against the same teams, you don't have time [music] to like relax a little, right? So of course, I arrived with everything, I really don't know if I didn't feel pressure, [music] it was more like the overwhelm of not being able to get out of that loop, right? Then people tell you things like try the paddle, change your grip, I don't know what [music]. So it's

23:21like there were too many things in that sense. Uh, luckily I love Graham, I love Travis, I love the team, but [music] but the truth is it's like when you travel a lot with a family, right? In the end, one gets burned. It got to a point where I think we were all a little burned out [music] and that was that the experience wasn't everything I would have liked, but [music] but well, we ended up well

23:43and obviously I'm back with the teams. Hello. And speaking of [music], shovels, right? I remember that I'm fortunate to train with you quite a bit . [music] I realize that you switch from this shape, which is the gated, to the white body, right? And your level really goes up [music] in a period of a couple of weeks you leveled up a lot. Why do you think that happened? Well, I think so

24:17, the truth is that when I switched from Standard Shape to [music], I do n't know if it was because it was at the same time that Rachel Rbacker came into my life, and that's what really changed me in that sense, because in the end you go from training [music] inconsistently to training with a coach, with her four or five times a week. That [music] changed my mindset a lot, but the truth is that when

24:41I changed my white body I loved it, I don't know, I felt like [music] that everything clicked, right? My resets changed my mindset to be a bit more of a grinder, [music] you know? So yeah, it kind of gave you more confidence, right? It was like you even looked much more confident in yourself, the way you played. But when you played against Georgia and JW with [music] Yeah, I already had that money.

25:04Yes, yes. I changed white body literally it was like after [music] MLP because Duel, well, when Duel, I was playing with Duel, when I went into MP, I changed [music] Duel, then from there Duel stopped being approved, uh, I think [music] I don't know, maybe it was Daytona or something like that last year. Uh, then I changed the [music] Persius 16, which was the one I used to play with, it wasn't

25:27tested either and I didn't want to play with 14. So, I said, well, I'll try Scorpus. [music] And that's it, I stayed there, I loved it. [music] I think I'm going to change and see if they catch me too. My best game. And here RPM has white body, I didn't know. And here's a very technical question. [music] Why don't you want to play with a 14mm palette? I simply didn't like them when I

25:53tried them. I feel like I can't feel the ball as much [with music]. It seems too popy for my game. I like it. I feel like with the 16 I can make more [music], really. But I'll also tell you that I haven't tried many palettes. When I try one and I like it, it's because I feel like there are too many options and that drives me crazy. So, I'll really have tried four [music] four palettes

26:13in my life. Now, obviously I'm not with White Body anymore, I just switched back, [music] uh, and well, I was a little worried when I was going to switch because everyone was telling me, "But you're playing really well." [music] And I said, "Yeah, yeah, but [laughs] uh, uh, I feel good back now too with the standard, [music] I mean, it was, I didn't mind the transition. And with this company you're using,

26:36you've [music] decided, are you going to sign with them? Can you announce it here or not yet? Yes, I've signed with Warping Point. So, yeah, I'm [music] happy that for those who don't know, Warping Point is Tina Pisnó with that brand, right? Like, the pioneer. Crazy talent too. Talent. You don't train with her? Uh, no. Uh, I feel like [music] is, I don't talk to her much, but when Rachel has told me, like, to

27:05always go down, no, I mean, never, never, she never [music] maybe she trains a lot of tennis, a lot, so you do like her stuff, unfortunately. But well, we have a couple of pros that are moving for Daria, we are. [Music] Yes. Well, and Cristacheva is moving in June. Uh, Rachel is agreeing to [Music] Lea Johnsen, it seems she's going to move here, and Rafa H and Marcela might too. So, little by little, growing.

27:32That's it, that's it. Why, Paulo, to tell the audience a little bit too , why do you think so many people move to [Music] Florida? Well, obviously, the Florida SAS is so they can train; the weather is very easy to find places to play, right? So in the end [Music], if you have the opportunity to move, you need people to play with. Because even if you're very good, if you

27:54're in an area [Music] where you can't, you don't advance, you do n't advance. So yes, many of those people have the [Music] possibility to move. Obviously, if you're also a coach, I feel that Florida is a very good place. There might be too many coaches, I do n't [Music] know, but it's very well regarded. Pablo has a lot of respect for people, So I feel like there are opportunities.

28:19And how are you preparing for this year, I mean, for MLP, to be better? Do you think the new format is going to change things, or do you just feel more prepared this year? Uh, I feel much more prepared. I feel like my big jump in skill level has really been these last six months. I mean, I don't think there's a comparison. I didn't know, I mean, that there was really that

28:43possibility of a level change because ultimately, until you play in PPA and train with people from PPA or who are much better than you, you don't realize the little details that make you a much better player. I feel like I thought I played well, but now when I look back, I say, "Wow, I played really badly." He played very badly, very [laughs] badly. Very badly. How bad she was. You were bad.

29:08No, I did see Pabla, I did get to see her starting in [laughs] 2023. I did n't have faith in myself. What do you mean I didn't have faith in you? Of course, I had complete faith in the world. The thing is, I was telling her, "But Pabla, you have to understand [music] a little bit that there are times to hit it hard and others to hit it softly." She

29:22always hit him hard. Then I saw that she came from tennis. I knew she was good, but if I didn't understand the game, she wasn't going to get any better. [music] So, I remember that at that time a gentleman there connected us and told me, "The gentleman, show it." [clears throat] And the man was calling me, and how he's progressing, and like who's worth it? I'm not going to say names, I'm

29:41not going to say public names. Exact. It 's not relevant. So, with that pressure, but teach her, help her quickly. Well, then after that we didn't see each other for a long time, in fact , I thought I hadn't played anymore . Suddenly when I see you playing again, but playing like I'm not, wait, that's not the Paula I knew. I mean, I even felt embarrassed approaching her like, "Nice to meet you ." [laughs] Do you

30:08remember me? Know? Do you remember when we used to play and we were really bad at it? But okay, okay. I really do personally congratulate you [music] because you've really done it, as they say in Argentina, you've done it , you've done it in your own way. Now, I [musician] didn't know all this history from India, from Australia, and honestly, the respect is greater now, a little more, because, like I said, all on my own

30:33, I think [musician] has done most things alone, and well, asking for a little help from some people because, well, yes, [musician] needs it, it needs it, I mean, unfortunately, the peak grows so much, so fast, so fast , it's so accelerated that you [musician] need to have a little bit of connections just so they give you the opportunity, and the rest is up to you to

30:58show that [musician] deserves it, that it's worth it for them to hire you or for those teams to call you. I truly congratulate you personally. Yes, that's what I've taken away most from this conversation [music] that you, I mean, you went for it, you went for it you went for it, I mean, you went to India, you wrote to Gram, I mean, that's something that [music] we all have to learn,

31:18that you have to be proactive, proactive, proactive. So be the worst, go for it, send that message, send that trip. Obviously, if you don't do well at first, don't be afraid of success. No fear of success. [laughs] Believe in yourself, believe in yourself. Look, Paula. And to finish, this is a question we are asking all our guests. What is the [music] scene like in 5 years? Ah, well, definitely, as it's becoming much more

31:47international, as it's now. Uh, I obviously see [music] that Asia is growing, Europe is growing, but much more slowly, as is Latin America. Uh, [music] I do n't know if in 5 years, but I imagine Pickball in the future as a tour like a tennis tour, right? In which there are different tournaments all over the world and [music] and you pick up and make points and in the end you don't just play with the same group

32:15every week on the same tour, but it's [music] well, everything is more united. Yes. Global, which I think is what Pepe is trying to do, that's why they don't let you [music] play many of these international things. Pablo, and I know that you have almost [music] played two or three times in a row next round that you have to play against the best players. [music] Mm. You feel like it gets kind of

32:39boring sometimes, that it's still so small that you [music] have it, I mean, because you're working hard, you 're improving, you win one round and the next you're up against the two or three best [music] in the world, right? I mean, realistically, we would have to [music] have them have a really bad day and you have a really good day right now for you to win, right? But if the tour is much

32:59bigger, if the draws get bigger, [music] I think you have more options, right? He's still very small. Sometimes you feel a little [music] frustrated in that aspect. Yes, it's very frustrating because it's like a pattern, the same thing always happens every tournament, right? [music] So I feel like I 'm 50th in the world now, okay? Uh, but I feel [music] that my level is much higher, but it's very difficult

33:23to get points because it's always the same. So, if I play with someone who's from my area, for example, Maya, who's also from the area, we play really well together, we're going to play a lot of tournaments together, but she's also 50. So, when we play together, the trs aren't good. We always win the first round, then the second or third [music] round is always against top one, two or three.

33:45Those are the only matches where I say, "I can't." I mean, I can, but you might win it once, but you're not going to win it constantly [music]. Uh, now if I'm playing against someone who's 20 or 30 like in my last tournament, then I don't play against them until the round of 16 or quarters [music] which makes it a little bit easier, but I feel like it is frustrating [music] because it's supposed to be random,

34:10but either I'm really unlucky [laughs] or I always play against the top three in the match, [music] like the third round, when I feel like if I could play against when Maya and I played against number six, which was [music] Eta and Lay, we went to three sets, you know, like I feel like only the top three, top four teams are [music] difficult, everything else is winnable. So, if there was some way

34:36we could play against those teams more and go further than a bigger draw, obviously, then it would be possible because in the end I don't care about the round, what I mean is playing more games, you don't want to go and have to play [music] Rachel and Catherine in the first or second round. That's what doesn't bother me, but it's hard to get out of that [music], isn't it?

34:54So, it's not like you play two tournaments and gradually climb the rankings, but it's much harder to climb for that reason, because in the end if you don't win you don't gain points, you stay stuck in the same place. And well, my final question [music] is, how do you get better partners? Because you've told us [music] that you've practically achieved success by asking questions. It's like, you as a professional [music] player have

35:19a portal where all the signed [music] players can send messages to each other, or how does it work, how do you get [music] partners for tournaments? Uh, really everyone just writes music to each other, which makes it a little bit more difficult. Then if you don't have one, let's say, [music] "I don't have a partner for Danta in a month, I can write to our PPA manager, [music] who handles all the players and say,

35:47look, I need a partner." Then he sends you a text message with who else he needs a partner for. M, then you can ask for the phone number [music] or you can write to them or whatever . Uh, the real problem right now is that there are different [music] niches of people who come out and are in their own little group, so it's like finding another group to join, right? There's me, and my group of

36:08four people I play with. So how do I get out of that situation to find better players? And part of that is also in the end thinking when I play against some of those [music] teams that are good or better than me, I play the best I can. So and and that me and and in the end [music] everyone is always watching, right? So when they start talking about you, they start saying, look, Paula is playing

36:34[music] well and maybe that person does n't have a partner for another tournament and they tell me, look, I'm going to write to Paula. So, I'm waiting for the opportunity that maybe a better player will write to me. [music] Obviously for the upcoming tournaments, well, I'm a shoot my shot. So, I'm going to write to him. No, not to [laughs] not to top, but I will write to some people to see if I have

36:57already written to Ben 100 times, but he still hasn't answered me. [laughs] Yes, right? [music] And obviously MLP, well in the end it's also an opportunity, right? In music, firstly, if you're on a team where you haven't played with any of the people, then it's good because you're trying out other partnerships. [music] Obviously, on my team I have Cris who I play with all the time, Travis too, Martina played

37:20last year, Zoe has also played. So, there's no one saying [music] or I haven't played with them in this case, but hey , you're playing against, let's go this year, luckily we're going to play Premier League, or we have all the teams, [music] it's like the moment of you, uh, do your best and see what comes out of it. There's more motivation, because there's more motivation to show we're going to be living that weekend, brother,

37:42please. Whether we were given the credentials or not, we need to write to get the ticket. [music] Yes, brother. Okay. Laziness, brother. It 's not laziness. [laughs] I'm going. I'm coming. Yes. I [music] I'm going to ask Nacho, since I've been training with him a bit, to put us in touch with Federico to do an interview [music] to see what happens. Or if you know him, Pablo, and can connect us. No, [laughs] we do

38:06n't talk. I've also written to him a couple of times. No, no, I'm not going that high. I tend to focus more on what could be, don't you? [laughs] But anyway, to top it all off, shoot your shot hit, eh, [music] promote your shovels. We can also find you on Instagram, TikTok, and MySpace. [laughter] [music] Uh, well, yeah, buy my shovels. I don't have my shovel. Warping point. [laughs] Okay, we carved them. And your Instagrams? I

38:41only have one Instagram. Uh, I tried, I tried when I started, I tried the uh [music] Paula Pable, but I didn't quit, I left it alone. I only have one. I don't know why, I think at that time everyone was doing it because it was like a goal. Yes, but it's not possible to handle two. Look, it's the same thing now, but it 's just GDP. Yes, that's how I did it. It's the same now, it's

39:06open, little one. Mine isn't separate because now my life is pickable. Actually my old Instagram is [music] I don't use my personal Instagram anymore. I know Clear. No, me neither. People write to me there like you're still doing s p Yes, but that [music] posted everything on the picable today. Yes. No, you tell me that too, you're really boring. I tell him, well, if you like Ped, follow me on my [music] page because I

39:31never post anything anymore. I have more followers on my PB account, which is my personal one, and I started it, remember? You are a personality of the P. This I'm not [music] going to do it. Thank you, resident. See you next time Thank you, Paula. Paula. Nice.