For greater than a decade, Alvaro Robles has been a daily presence on the worldwide desk tennis circuit. The Spanish left-hander, who has reached a career-high No. 28 on the planet, has spent almost 10 years inside the highest 100 and is now a well-known face within the Final Desk Tennis, having featured in six of the seven editions.
Robles’ journey, nevertheless, started with an unlikely idol: Timo Boll. As a teen in Spain, he watched movies of the German nice and commenced copying his recreation earlier than ultimately transferring to Germany to coach alongside among the world’s finest.
That call, he says, formed not solely his desk tennis but additionally his persona.
Now a father of two, Robles continues to juggle the calls for of an expert profession with household life whereas making an attempt to earn one other shot on the Olympics.
In an interplay with The Hindu, he spoke about Boll, his transfer to Germany, the evolution of Spanish desk tennis, longevity within the sport, UTT’s influence on Indian desk tennis and his want to characteristic in one other Olympics. Excerpts:
You might have spoken about Boll being one in all your idols. How did that fascination start?
I began watching him after I was 16 or 17. He was in his prime and I watched so a lot of his matches. I took quite a lot of motivation from his recreation. I feel my model is kind of much like his.
Was there a selected second that received you hooked to his model?
What I bear in mind most is that after I was 16 or 17, we began gaining access to computer systems and I watched the primary movies on YouTube. I used to be very impressed. I began copying him in apply and tried to take each talent from him as a left-hander. As you stated, it was pure for a lot of lefties to repeat Boll.
You then moved to Germany. Did you get a chance to work together with him?
Not fairly often, however a couple of instances. I performed towards him and practised with him. It was a privilege to share these moments with any individual I actually admired. I might by no means beat him — he was so good — however I managed to have some shut matches. I used to be very completely satisfied about that.
How a lot did transferring to Germany rework your profession?
It had a big impact on my profession and desk tennis. I received to know the very best gamers on the planet and learnt extra about coaching techniques, how different gamers suppose and what mentality is required to achieve the highest.
How troublesome was it as a teen to take that call?
It was a troublesome selection. While you determine to maneuver, you don’t know the implications or what you’ll face. However it was a ravishing journey to find. If I look again, I’d do it once more. I met folks from all around the globe… totally different nations and cultures. I’m actually completely satisfied to have skilled that sort of life.
Was it robust for your loved ones to know why you needed to maneuver to Germany?
In Spain, there was not a lot of a convention for desk tennis. My dad and mom supported me, however I’m not positive they knew precisely what sort of future I’d have. I’m grateful for his or her help and the liberty they gave me as a result of that allowed me to develop my profession, my persona and my character. I found a lot about myself throughout that journey.
The Spaniard has performed in six editions of UTT.
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How a lot has Spanish desk tennis modified during the last 20 years?
It has developed so much. I feel we’ve been very profitable in bettering the medium degree of gamers. Now we’ve round 20 gamers competing at a really related degree. They don’t seem to be but on the prime degree, however many are between 100 and 300 on the planet and may compete rather well.
The following step is clearly to have extra gamers inside the highest 100. However even on the base, we’ve some superb under-13, under-15 and under-17 gamers reaching unbelievable worldwide outcomes.
If a Spanish teenager got here to you right now saying he needed to make a profession in desk tennis, what would you inform him?
First, it is extremely vital to know the background of every participant — the place they arrive from, which membership they belong to, how outdated they’re and what they wish to obtain. Everyone seems to be particular person and totally different. That’s the very first thing I’d observe earlier than giving any recommendation. I wish to know the background of every participant so I can assist them higher.
You might have spent nearly a decade on the planet’s prime 100. How demanding is that consistency?
It is rather demanding. For 10 years I’ve been inside the highest 100, and it prices so much. In my case, the key is consistency within the work. I thought of my apply, bodily situation and efficiency every single day. I used to be apprehensive about bettering every single day and possibly that’s the reason I’ve remained across the prime 50. Now I’m No. 67, however earlier than the Olympics, I reached No. 28, which was nice for my profession. I preserve considering every single day about how I can return to my finest form. I hope I can stay at this degree for one more 10 years.
Gamers are actually extending their careers nicely into their late 30s and 40s. How has that turn out to be doable?
A couple of issues have modified. There are actually many alternatives to proceed taking part in WTT occasions and league matches. There are nice leagues the place gamers can earn an revenue. To carry out for a few years, there’s rather more details about taking good care of your self — vitamin, bodily preparation and psychology. Earlier, many gamers didn’t have entry to a lot data.
Due to this, we really feel higher with our our bodies, play with fewer accidents and proceed believing that we will play at 38, 40 or 42. Then it comes all the way down to your psychological method, motivation, circumstances, household and the way lengthy you wish to preserve travelling. Take a look at Robert Gardos, who’s 47 and nonetheless performing extraordinarily nicely. That’s spectacular, however it is usually as a result of he takes nice care of himself.
How would you evaluate the help construction in Spain with nations similar to Germany or Sweden, or India?
Help shouldn’t be solely about cash. For me, help means having a construction of coaches and individuals who assist develop the game — bodily trainers, analysts, physiotherapists and other people guiding gamers in direction of their most potential.
Typically we’re confused. Help shouldn’t be merely ‘I offer you cash and then you definately do what you need.’ Help is making a construction that helps a gaggle attain its potential. That’s what is bettering now.
How troublesome is it to stability travelling for seven months a 12 months with household life?
It’s troublesome. I’ve travelled overseas for six or seven months a 12 months, and it’s laborious when you recognize your loved ones is at dwelling. My kids are younger and so they miss me.
We attempt to handle the logistics to allow them to come to some tournaments. My daughter got here to the World Championships in Doha final 12 months and so they got here to a Contender in Macedonia. That provides me power as a result of being away from dwelling for thus many weeks is troublesome. Bringing them with me and having them round offers me motivation to maintain making an attempt for my finest outcomes.
How has fatherhood modified the method to your profession?
Completely. Although I assumed I’d handle it a method, every thing modified as a result of the emotions are totally different. Immediately, you need to face issues you aren’t ready for and handle them along with your spouse and household.
I feel that it has been the most important work I’ve needed to do lately — greater than desk tennis: studying how you can deal with household life with skilled life.
You might have been a part of UTT for six seasons. How have you ever seen the league evolve?
Fairly nicely. The thought was to create a league the place international gamers might deliver expertise to Indian desk tennis. Now you see how a lot Indian desk tennis has grown. It’s loopy.
When you evaluate 2018 with 2026, now you can see what number of Indian gamers are within the prime 100, prime 50 and prime 40. Kids play as if they’ve 20 years of expertise.
Earlier, you didn’t see that. Now there are a lot of of them. That has come from the funding and energy of the federation and the individuals who needed to create the league. It is rather spectacular.
You see children similar to Syndrela Das, who was watching from the stands when she was 11 or 12, now taking part in towards gamers like Manika Batra and even beating them. That comes from a rustic’s huge effort to develop a sport.
What do you get pleasure from doing away from desk tennis?
I really like sport. I like taking part in tennis, padel and soccer. All my hobbies are associated to sport. Going out with my spouse when the children usually are not with us can also be one thing I get pleasure from — occurring vacation after many months of laborious work. That’s how I swap off and recharge.
You might have gained a World championship doubles silver and a European blended doubles gold. What stays the most important goal?
The European championship gold in blended doubles is a good achievement as a result of, on the finish, it’s a gold medal. It is rather particular to me. However the Olympics is all the time the most important stage. All the things I’m doing is aimed toward getting that have yet another time. I do know profitable an Olympic medal is one thing actually, actually troublesome… on one other degree.
However I attempt to discover my finest model and preserve the chance open. You by no means know. I’ll preserve combating to be there and provides my finest model yet another time.
