María Laura Ferreyra, the chaco who has overcome adversity and dreams of becoming one of the world’s padel elite

The best paddle of the world lands this week again in Argentina to play Open Rioja, second round of the 2023 World Tour season which is based in the Superdome of that city of Cuyo. The tournament will be the first played in our country that will play the tables of ladies and gentlemen at the same time. And among the 56 players who will fight for the women’s title, the young girl from Chaco checks out Maria Laura Ferreiraholder of a particular history, which has already begun to shine in the Argentine professional circuit and dreams big.

Born 17 years ago in Villa Ángela, a town located about 190 kilometers west of Resistencia, María is deaf, a sensory disorder she was born with but only discovered when she was five years old. And although this decrease in hearing sensitivity made it a little difficult for her to feel comfortable as she took her first steps in the sport, today she, thanks to the headphones she uses, is one more on the court.

“Without the headphones I hear 50 percent, but when I use them I hear 100 percent from both sides. It was difficult for me at first, because sometimes, when you don’t hear well, you miss some things. Even if at the same time , you It helps to further develop the ability to observe.Today it costs me nothing, I’m very used to it. Thanks to the headphones, I can play and compete well“, She said clarionhours before his debut in the La Rioja tournament, which he entered thanks to a wild card and which he will play in tandem with Necochense Congratulations Darbore.

Ferreyra hit her first shots at a ball when she was 7 with a tennis racket on the courts of the Centennial Circle of his family, in which his mother was a teacher. But at the age of 10 she discovered paddle tennis, in that same institution, and never released the paddle again.

“I really liked it because it’s very dynamic. And it’s played in pairs and there’s a camaraderie that isn’t there in tennis, which is more solitary,” he recalled. “As soon as I started playing, I began to participate in the Selettiva per Minori (Ed: series of tournaments organized by Argentina Padel Association -APA-) and in all the competitions that he could. Tournament that was, tournament in which he played. So every time I began to like it more and I dedicated myself and prepared myself more, in order to become a professional.”

In 2015, when she was just 10 years old, she was invited to the first selection and has since achieved outstanding results at a minor level. For example, she conquered the Under 15 title in the Pan American 2016 which was played in Argentina. The following year, she finished second in the same category in the Spain World Cup. And in 2018 she repeated the Pan-American party, in Brazil, albeit in Sub 16.

“I don’t expect to achieve all these goals, I didn’t think I could be Pan American champion and vice world champion. It was very nice to have achieved them,” said who came to occupy the number 1 in the APA Under 18 rankings last year.

Objective, the World Padel Tour

The chaqueña, the same, aims high. “My dream is to play for World tour of padelthe most important circuit in the world”, he commented. For this reason, while continuing to compete in the under 18 national teams, he has already made his debut in the first division of the Association of Professional Padel Players (AJPP) and has also achieved excellent results.

In September of last year, together with Neuquén Daira Valenzuelawon its first trophy in an AJPP 1,000 point, beating La Plata Mariela Peyregne and Nicolena Florence Ernestorena in the final of the Misiones tournament, belonging to the professional circuit of Argentina. And the following month, he was crowned in a tournament of the same category in Córdoba together with Irene Jiménez.

Thanks to this and other excellent results, the duo ranked the Final Master of the AJPP, which was held in December in San Martín de Los Andes. In that tournament, Ferreyra and Valenzuela, second seeds, lost the final against the experienced duo formed by sylvan field AND gimenez, the top favourites, after the chaco injured his left leg. And after her great season, María finished 2022 in eighth place in the women’s standings.

She is so focused on achieving her goal of becoming a professional player that she has been based in Corrientes for some time, where she trains with professor Joselo Velozo. Even if he is already planning a huge change: crossing the Atlantic to settle in the Old Continent and give his game a qualitative leap.

“There isn’t a high level at Villa Ángela, especially in the women’s branch, because there aren’t many players. That’s why I’m training at Corrientes, even if with the men, because I have no other choice. A few weeks ago I was training preseason there with Joselo and then I went to Buenos Aires for a few days to prepare for the La Rioja tournament with Felicitas” he explained.

And he continued: “My idea is to move to Spain, to be able to train there and dedicate myself to padel professionally. I think we will leave in April, but we are still closing everything, so I can’t go too far. My dream is to play at World Padel Tour, I hope it happens and I can be champion in a tournament.”

In La Rioja, Ferreyra – who is betting on her career with the help of her parents, but is close to adding her first sponsor – will take the first step towards realizing that dream. Because he will play the main draw of a world circuit tournament for the first time, thanks to an invitation received from the organization.

“All thanks to Lysander Borges (Ed: Executive Director of the World Padel Tour in South America). I did not expect this wild card “, she commented that she, paired with Darboure, will debut this Wednesday on the Superdomo court, against the Argentinean María Virginia Riera and the Spanish Tamara Icardo, eighth favorite.

And he closed: “I’m very happy and very eager to play in the tournament. And I’m preparing to give my all and play very well. I hope I can do it.”