One of the notable names of the P1 of Málaga is Momo González (Antequera, 1997). The local player started the season with a bad streak with Martín Di Nenno, but is now facing a sweet moment with Lucas Campagnolo, with whom he has recovered his best version. The setback is also one of the candidates to be part of Spain’s squad for the World Cup in Qatar in a few months.
Momo is currently the number 14 in the world and stands out for his physical display, solidity and ability to deliver unexpected blows when it is most needed. The man from Antequera attended the MARCA microphones to explain how he lived those weeks where everything seemed to go wrongthe keys to returning to his best version and how he sees himself facing that long-awaited World Cup event in which he could be.
Ask. Very good, Momo González. First of all, how are you? How are you feeling?
Answer. Well the truth is that happy. Happy with how we are doing with Campa, because I think we have shown a great level. So, as I say, very happy.
Momo González and Martín Di Nenno in the P2 of Newgiza.
Q. How is this season going? It’s been a bit of a strange and atypical year for you.
R. Yes, the truth is that at the beginning of the season I was not being the best in the world. But I already mentioned it in another interview: it was not only because of the results themselves, but because of the feeling that I had about myself and my game; I felt like I wasn’t feeling the best. Little by little I have been changing things and I have returned to that good dynamic that perhaps I ended up with last year. The truth is that the feelings I have now are very good. Furthermore, Campa has helped me a lot to regain the confidence I had before, so now I feel very good, very confident and eager to continue growing.
Q. It is inevitable to remember that victory in Rome, in your debut with Campa, where we were all excited. What did it mean to you to win that match in that tournament?
R. I have to say that, the next day, a lot of people—even people with whom I hardly have any contact, who I know but with whom I don’t have much of a relationship—said to me: “Momo, yesterday you made me cry.” And I thought: “Damn, I made everyone cry.” The truth is that it was a feeling of liberation.
I was crying so much that I was even hyperventilating and couldn’t speak a word.
Q. Did you feel like you needed a victory like that?
A. As I said, the season was not the best in the world and I found myself in a situation that I had not experienced for a long time, I mean that I had left the top eight couples in the ranking. In the end it was a difficult situation, because getting back in there is complicated. It was a feeling of liberation, of saying: “I finally played well, I can finally compete against the couples above.” I couldn’t tell you if it was happiness or something else; It was, totally, bringing out everything I had inside. I was crying so much that I was even hyperventilating and couldn’t speak a word. I think from there I freed myself and was able to play much better. The next day, when we also won, people joked: “Aren’t you going to cry about going to the quarterfinals? Aren’t you going to cry about the semi-finals?” But no, the next day I was already liberated and calm, so I celebrated it as those games should be celebrated.
Q. How do you explain something like this happening? Obviously he had not forgotten to play paddle tennis, he has always been the Momo we know, but how did you assimilate the fact of suddenly seeing his best version again?
R. Let’s see, I think almost all players go through this. What we see from Arturo Coello, Agustín Tapia, Ale Galán or Fede Chingotto is something atypical; It is very difficult to be in tournament after tournament competing in finals and winning titles. All players go through streaks, good times and bad times. I had to live in that situation in which I wasn’t performing at my best level and perhaps I wasn’t feeling well mentally either, because I couldn’t get out of that loop and my head couldn’t stop spinning. When I managed to stop thinking about that, focus solely on playing well and forget about everything else, it was key to getting out of that slump.
Q. To what extent is the psychological aspect important in this sport?
R. It’s everything. It’s all because, as you say, I don’t think anyone will forget to play paddle tennis from one moment to the next. It was a purely mental issue. In the end, we play on a 20 by 10 court where we have to put the ball to the millimeter; If you play tensely, instead of going in, the ball goes ten centimeters more to your side and goes out. I think that’s what was happening to me: I was very tense, with a lot of pressure, and that clearly made me play badly.
Momo González in his victory in Rome.
Q. Tell us about Lucas Campagnolo. It seems that being next to him is like receiving an electroshock. What’s special about it?
R. Look, when we left him with Martín, talking to my mother he told her: “I don’t know who to play with.” Obviously, later the other person has to say yes, but I told him: “I don’t know who to play with, but I need someone at my side to pull me up and lift me up. I’m no longer talking about playing better or worse, but about pulling me morally.” We debated and in the end we came to the conclusion that Campa was the best option. It has been more than proven that I was completely right. Campa has spectacular energy and fighting spirit, he has the ability to bring out the best in each teammate. With all the players he has shared the court with, he has made them improve and made them rise. Right now I’m taking advantage of that to recover my best version. Furthermore, the reality is that Campa is playing at a great level. I have been training with him every day for a couple of years, I am seeing his evolution closely and the level he is at is incredible.
Q. One aspect that has drawn a lot of attention from fans has been your breakup with Martín Di Nenno. We have heard Martín speak wonderfully about you on many occasions. It is curious how two great players, when they come together, do not quite fit together. How do you explain it?
R. Well, in the end many things influence. I still have an incredible relationship with Martín to this day; We have breakfast together, we share a lot of time and the relationship is spectacular. However, on the track things did not work out. Although many people thought that our playing styles were not going to get along, I really believed so, because I have played with teammates with that profile, such as Edu Alonso, who is a player with a lot of handling and volume of play. But, for one reason or another—and I couldn’t tell you the exact reason, because if I did I would tell you—we couldn’t get along and decided to separate. I think that now he with Paquito is bringing out a very good version of himself and I with Campa too, so I am very happy for him. In fact, when we faced each other in Rome, I remember approaching him online and saying: “This time it was my turn, but I’m happy because it shows that we have both returned to who we were.” It makes me very happy to see that he has recovered his high level, just as it has happened to me.
I no longer focus on the ranking, I focus on getting my best version on the track
Q. For this tournament they start as couple number eight, but with the current points dance…
R. Yes, right now we are a couple of eight and the points are very close between all of us. Anyway, I no longer focus on the ranking; I focus solely on bringing out my best version on the court. I’m sure that if I maintain this level, we will end up higher or lower, but that will certainly help me continue climbing.
Q. An obligatory question for these dates is the call for the World Cup. How do you deal with it? Do you mark it as a primary objective or do you see it as still distant?
R. I’m not going to tell you to mark it as a direct goal, because my real goal is to play well and be the best Momo possible on the court. If I play well and recover my best level, that, as a direct consequence, will increase my chances of going to the World Cup. That’s my philosophy. It is evident that I am very excited, I am not going to deny it; I hope I can be there. It is also true that there are many players with sufficient level to enter the Spanish team, but the coach will choose those who are in better shape when the date approaches. I hope it’s me, why not? I’m going to continue trying to play as well as possible so that, at least, my name is in your head.