This week’s star is Javier Garrido Gomez. As you know, at PADEL1969, we love shooting stars. Javi Garrido continues to be talked about among the most promising stars of this sport, gaining space and spotlight on the world padel scene since early 2015. Read along if you want to know more about Javi and his athletic prowess.
Who is Javier Garrido Gómez
Javi Garrido is a Spanish professional Padel player. As of December 2023, Javi, also known as Metralleta (the machine gun) and El Califa (the caliph), is ranked 14th in the WPT official rankings. Over the past few years, he has been on the professional circuit, making his way up the charts. He has amassed 4565 points. He has played a total of 324 games, of which he won 181 and lost 143, bringing his winning percentage to 55.86%. He managed to maintain a streak of seven consecutive victories.
Javi Garrido’s name is internationally renowned for his achievements, which vary from national to international titles. He notably won the following titles,
Under-18 World Champion.
Twice World Champion with the Spanish team.
Four times champion of Spain.
Champion of Spain for 1st absolute teams.
Five-time champion of Spain with the Andalusian national team.
Seven-time champion of Andalusia
His professional career in sports aside, Javi pursued a degree in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences at the Camilo José Cela University of Madrid
Javier Garrido Gómez’s Padel Chart
Javi was nicknamed El Califa in association with and reference to his home, Córdoba. The nickname Machinegun (Metralleta), however, fits his style of play very well. On the court, Javi is shooting shots left and right, never leaving time for his opponents to understand or realize where the ball might be coming from.
His matches are a must-watch.
Table 1
| Name | Javier Garrido Gómez |
| Birthdate | October 26th 2000 |
| Birthplace | Cordoba, Spain |
| Height | 6’0” (184 cm) |
| Sport | Padel Tennis |
| Playing Position | Reverse (Backhand) |
| Active Years | 2017- Present |
| Partners | Chilean Javier Valdés, Javier González Barahona, and Gonzalo Rubio (2017) Adrián Allemandi (2018) Martín Di Nenno (2019) Juani Mieres, and Javier Martínez (2020) Lucho Capra, Mike Yanguas, and Juan Cruz Belluati (2021) Lucas Campagnolo (2022) Fede Chingotto, Jon Sanz, Javi Rico, and Pablo Lijó (2023) Jerónimo González Luque (2023- current) |
Javier Garrido Gómez’s Debut in Padel
Javi Garrido started playing padel tennis at seven years old. His hobby at the time was football, and he played on the Córdoba team. Although he didn’t like padel tennis and showed little to no interest in it, his parents, who had the gift of foresight, signed him up for a summer camp in Sierra Morena. There he started to get to know paddle tennis and get comfortable with the sport; however, at that time he still did not enjoy it and continued playing football.
Little by little, young Javi began liking Padel tennis more. At the age of 10, he signed with StarVie, a brand of which he is one of the main figures and to which he is still linked today. Javi Garrido combined Padel tennis with football until, at the age of 14, he had to choose a path to be loyal to, and he did so with Padel.
When Did Javi Garrido Start Professional Padel?
Javi became a professional athlete at 15 years old, playing his first ever tournaments until becoming a regular visitor to the World Padel Tour starting in 2017, playing all the races on the calendar until reaching, paired with Gonzalo Rubio, the final stages of a tournament on the most famous circuit in the world.
2017 was the first time he managed to be in the round of 16. It was a memorable win because it happened to be on his birthday. It was in Zaragoza that Javi played against the number 4 team in the world.
However, for padel enthusiasts, his exploit came at the age of 18, when he formed one of the most interesting couples in world padel with Martin Di Nenno, reaching a semi-final of the World Padel Tour for the first time in Alicante.
Javi Garrido and Messy Padel Partnerships
On the issue of regulating partnerships and pairings, Javi does not think such a feat is yet achievable. In 2023, Javi shared the Padel court with six different teammates: Fede Chingotto, Jon Sanz, Javi Rico, Pablo Lijó, Lucas Campagnolo, and Momo González. Despite everything, he has managed to enter the Final Master in Barcelona as number 13 in the ranking, completing a magnificent year as a professional.
Starting the year with Chingotto, Javi had high hopes for 2023. Indeed, he finished with Momo, and many other players have passed through the middle. But it was Campagnolo’s injury that forced him to go out and look for teammates.
The hunt for a compatible partner on and off the court is not easy, and that meant finishing the year having played with so many partners. Nobody likes to have this many teammates, but it is essential to find balance and harmony and to choose a partner with the same vision and drive as yours. Javi has admitted in past interviews that he is satisfied with his trajectory this year. It was hard, but he adapted nicely to all the players he paired with. He was able to reach the quarterfinals with almost everyone.
Why does Javi Garrido Play Padel
Padel tennis is a different type of sport. To many, it seems outlandish because the ball goes faster, but the matches are somehow fast but long anyway. Sports are known to be physically and mentally demanding. However, Javi confesses that Padel gave him more things than it took away from him.
Javi is satisfied with the life he built for himself, owing to the successful career he worked hard for. Javi seems to be thankful for many things he was able to achieve on account of being a Padel player. Traveling, seeing new places, meeting new people, and discovering other cultures are what drew Javi to the professional world the most. Which seems to be something not all jobs can provide.
Javi Garrido’s Notable Wins
Champion of the 2021 Lerma Challenger with Lucho Capra.
Champion of the 2021 Albacete Challenger with Mike Yanguas.
Champion of the 2022 Albacete Challenger with Lucas Campagnolo.
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