Albania Italian Style, coach Bettaglio: “Padel is very popular in Tirana”

Luca Bettaglio, in the role of head coach of the Albanian national team, is working intensively on the development of padel in the country. Very Italian but for ten years an executive of a multinational company present in Albania, he led the pair consisting of Marco Montanaro and Fjoralb Curri at the European Games ’23. An unfortunate first time at the EG2023 in terms of results, although perhaps this was not the most relevant aspect of the team’s presence, but a victory from the point of view of experience, from which his boys and he himself came out enriched.

“It is true, we are here representing a very young sport in Albania but we are confident about the growth we are seeing. Being here was a great opportunity, thanks above all to the support of the Albanian Olympic Committee, which is focusing strongly on a sport that young people like so much, Bettaglio explains. The padel racket is popular in Albania, that’s a fact. The rest is built on enthusiasm and ideas: “The phenomenon is totally new and there is a group of Italians who are bringing our country’s know-how to Albania, which is certainly among the most active in the development of padel. In Tirana,’ Bettaglio continues, ‘there is great interest. Recently an excellent international tournament was organised in the capital, which was won by the Deus brothers (present at EG2023 ed.). There was great enthusiasm, with excellent public participation. The Federation was born relatively recently, so there is a lot of work to do from an organisational and technical point of view”.

Then, a reflection on the European Games and the crazy location in Krakow’s Market Square. “The place of the final is fabulous, full of people and enthusiasm with music and everything. A beautiful spectacle. Padel has huge potential and in my opinion can aspire to become an Olympic sport and is extremely spectacular both for the ‘live’ audience and on television.  There are also fantastic characters, here we have Jerzy Janowicz who is a great tennis champion who has been a driving force for the event and not just because he is Polish. There could not be better publicity for our sport”.