Nonconformist, persevering, and a fighter, Fede Chingotto is living the best moment of his professional journey. Born in Olavarría in 1997, he has become one of the most respected figures in padel. Alongside Ale Galán, he forms a formidable duo, but he insists that he is still striving for more.
“Well, the truth is I think I’m at the peak of my entire career. I’m playing at a very high level, achieving the great goals I’ve always set for myself as a player. There’s definitely room for improvement; I haven’t reached my full potential yet, so I’m eager to keep learning,” Chingotto told Mundo Deportivo.
Competing against the best
Chingotto acknowledges the intensity of competing against the top pairs.
“The gap isn’t that big; competing against each other every day makes it seem like we’re just about getting there, but believe me, every match is a final and every encounter is incredibly tough,” he explained.
Facing Coello and Tapia has been one of the greatest challenges. “They are undoubtedly a pair that is making its mark on padel. They have a style of play that is very difficult to break out of; they trap you and it’s very tough. We are happy that we are able to compete against them very well and even take some wins,” Chingotto said.
The duel with Arturo Coello
Chingotto described his rivalry with Arturo Coello as mentally demanding.
“It’s mentally draining and a huge challenge. Arturo is a fantastic player who’s performing at a very high level, improving in so many aspects of his game. Ultimately, it’s a personal challenge to try and beat him, and that motivates me to train hard every day,” he admitted.
The strength of teamwork
The Argentine highlighted the importance of his team environment with Jorge and Galán.
“We have a great team working behind us, the atmosphere is very good. In the case of Ale and Jorge, the relationship we have is something unique. We enjoy every meal, training session, or even disagreements together, and that helps a lot to get the best performance out of everyone,” Chingotto said.
Partnership with Ale Galán
Chingotto considers Galán the perfect partner.
“Yes, without a doubt. Ale managed to unlock this version of Fede that people are seeing, he is the ideal partner for me,” he explained.
Despite criticism earlier in the season, Chingotto remained focused. “I have lived with criticism for a long time, pointing out that sometimes I didn’t reach certain balls because of my height, but I always take it constructively and as a personal challenge to keep trying and prove that things can change,” he said.
Memories of Barcelona and special bonds
Barcelona holds a special place in Chingotto’s career. He recalled the 2022 master final with Martín Di Nenno and the unforgettable atmosphere at Palau Sant Jordi. In 2023, he celebrated a title with Paquito Navarro and shared an emotional embrace with Gaby Reca.
“When I won with Paquito, the first person I went to find was Gaby. He means so much to me, he is a huge support. We trained together from 2020 until early 2024, he is like a father to me here and it was an emotional moment for both of us,” Chingotto said.
He also reflected on his long partnership with Juan Tello. “He was my partner for 8 years, we learned together and he helped me grow as a person as well as a player. We lived many experiences, like arriving in Spain, he is a brother, a great person, and the bond is very special,” he added.
The ultimate goal
Chingotto remains ambitious about his future.
“My ultimate goal as an athlete is to be number one, to try to reach the very top. In any case, I’m very happy with my entire career so far. I think I’m doing a great job and constantly striving every day, which makes me content. Even so, those close to me know that I’m not easily satisfied and I’ll give everything to achieve it,” he concluded.
