Lamperti grew emotional discussing his farewell in Buenos Aires / Premier Padel
Miguel Lamperti is entering his final months as a professional, and for the first time, he seems overwhelmed by everything he’s experiencing.
The farewell is near; Buenos Aires will see him for the last time this week, and emotions are starting to overflow.
During an interview at the Argentina Premier Padel, Lamperti revealed his most vulnerable side. He teared up talking about his retirement, cried as he remembered his late mother, and admitted he’s been going through especially tough emotional weeks.
“I’ve been dealing with terrible anxiety for a while,” he confessed in the interview conducted by Argentine journalist Sole Giménez.
At 47, Miguelito admits he never imagined reaching the moment of saying goodbye.
“I never treated padel as a job; I always treated it as a game,” he explained, reflecting on a career built on passion long before the sport exploded globally. He recalled his years in Brazil, giving up to nine hours of lessons a day, traveling by bus, and sleeping during the trips to chase his dream.
Remembering His Late Mother
In that journey to the past, one of the hardest episodes of his life resurfaced: the car accident he suffered as a young man after buying his first vehicle. However, nothing marked him as much as losing his mother. When asked what she would say to him today, Lamperti couldn’t continue and broke down crying. “Mom is always there when I mess up,” he managed to say emotionally.
The Argentine confessed that he dedicates his entire career to her. “My mother made a huge effort so I could play, and you always dedicate it to your mom,” he said, completely shattered. A moment of raw honesty reflecting just how much this end of his career is stirring all his feelings.
The Farewell and Nerves in Buenos Aires
But the tears didn’t stop there. When the conversation turned to the Buenos Aires tournament, likely the last of his career in Argentina, he broke down again. “For me, it will be the most special of all,” he said before getting emotional once more. Lamperti admitted he’s experiencing this final stretch with nerves he’s never felt before.
“Juan Martín used to tell me when he was about to retire, and now it’s happening to me. I’m very nervous when I’ve never been.” He said he only hopes to enjoy a week he imagines unforgettable. “I know the stands will be full. I know I’ll have the people’s affection. I just hope to play well and that people take a nice memory of me,” he confessed through tears.
Galán and Lebrón Changed Padel
Amid the nostalgic reflection, there was also room to consider the evolution of padel. Lamperti didn’t hesitate to point to Alejandro Galán and Juan Lebrón as the great revolutionaries of the sport. “They made everything go boom, boom, boom,” he explained with a laugh, comparing today’s padel to the slower game of previous generations. For him, they marked “a before and after.”
Despite belonging to a different era, Lamperti remains a reference for younger players. He said many ask him for advice and that he always tries to convey the importance of valuing what they experience and never losing their essence. In that regard, he cited Agustín Tapia and Federico Chingotto as examples, especially the Argentine number one. “I hope Agus always remains the same kid as always,” he said.
Perhaps that’s where the true greatness of Lamperti lies. Beyond titles or rankings, the Argentine leaves the impression of having been authentic until the very last day. A different player, charismatic, imperfect, and deeply human. And now, as the goodbye truly begins to approach, even Miguelito himself seems to realize that it’s not just a player retiring: a unique way of understanding the sport is also leaving.
