Despite the defeat in the final, the Vice-champion title on SPB Open 2015 to Portuguese can be called a good result. Two years ago in St. Petersburg, Souza reached the semi-finals, where he lost to Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

We were able to talk to coach of Joao Sousa – Frederico Marques.

BTRussia: We know it’s not your first visit to Russia. How many times did you visit St. Petersburg?

Freddy: It’s my second time in St Petesburg. I came two years ago with the same tennis player (Joao Sousa) for play the tennis tournament.

BTRussia: We congratulate you on the successful performance at the St. Petersburg Open! So tell us the secret to win more and more?

Freddy: We should always believe in our self, the ranking it's not important, what important it's believe…The match starts with the same possibility for both players.

BTRussia: Share with us one of your methods of training. Maybe it’s could be useful for beach tennis players too.

Freddy: I use a lot of work with videos, show to players what they are doing good and bad with camera. It's very good for them, when they see the performance. Yes, I guess tennis and beach tennis are very similar, about technic and physical and mental.

BTRussia: Did you ever tried to play beach tennis yourself?

Freddy: I know, It's starting to be famous in Portugal and we start to have some good players. We have a lot of good beaches. But actually nobody offer me play bt, because they know I'm focus on tennis now. But we never know...maybe in the future I can try it too.

BTRussia: In a few weeks The European Championships of Beach Tennis will start, and Team Portugal is going to participate this event. Any parting words for the team?

Freddy: Wish all the best for all participants and all the best luck for Portuguese players. But the most important it's respect the other, respect the sport and give your best every day!

We hope the wishes of Frederico Marques will bring Portugal national team good luck. We spoke with the team member Pedro Maio about how is preparation to Championships going.

BTRussia: You’re going to participate European Championships soon. You are very young, is it the first big event for you?

Pedro: Yes, I’m going to participate these Championships. It is the second big event this year for me - I already played at the European IFBT.

BTRussia: How are you preparing for Championships?
Pedro: Actually it’s hard. We don’t have many training conditions, because our federation doesn’t pay the travel, and also we don’t have indoor courts and even don’t have coaches here.

BTRussia: So, it’s should be hard for you? Because you can’t train much but have a responsibility to represent your country?
Pedro: I don’t have much pression, I just train as much as I can. Unfortunately we don’t have any players with ITF ranking in my city, so I call my friends for I can train. But my partner from other city is very good player!

BTRussia: How do you think, is it possible to play tennis and beach tennis at the same time? Can BT helps to professional tennis player? Or it is complicated? Do you play tennis or played before?

Pedro: I think that it’s impossible to play these two sports in a high level at the same time, because they are so different. I think it could help to have a racket in your hand for newbies but no for professionals, it’s completely different.I played tennis for 12 years, and then I started to play beach tennis in 2013. So I stopped to play tennis, because I prefer play beach tennis. It has many great players and it is very fun sport! I think BT training can be a big mistake for a tennis players, because technique is very different.

BTRussia: How do you think, who can get a champion title in Israel this year?

Pedro: I think that Italians guys will win. If anyone can defeat them, it’s Russia. Russian players train a lot...Both…Russia and Italy have a great training conditions!

We were surprised did not find players we know well by WTBTC into team Portugal and decided to talk with Felipe Rebelo about the upcoming championships.

BTRussia: Congratulations with amazing results of famous Portuguese tennis player Joao Sausa in St. Petersburg! Do you know tennis players in Portugal who play beach tennis too?

Filipe: In Portugal are not many beach tennis players still consider that many of them are tennis players or were tennis players, or at least have had the experience of playing tennis ever.

BTRussia: You play beach tennis and also you’re a tennis coach? Do you use to practice beach tennis methods in tennis?

Filipe: Yes, I’m a tennis coach, it`s my job. I believe beach tennis can help to have a better volley and smash, and it was good to improve the reflexes. I think we can improve of course our physical while playing beach tennis, but it´s really different. In tennis the movements are so different.

BTRussia: Is it true, that you’re not going to participate the upcoming European Championships?

Filipe: Me and Pedro (my partner) will not participate on European Championships. It´s too expensive and we are a bit scared because Israel is really close to dangerous countries with war. This year we decided don`t participate. We are thinking about 2016 now. We will try to do better year than 2015. This year we just played 3 tournaments because our job didn´t allow us more.

BTRussia: Your friend and tennis coach Frederico Marques wished Portugal team to achieve good results in Israel, very nice, isn’t it?

Filipe: I want to thank my friend Frederico Marques, he always follow our results in beach tennis. I also want to wish him all the best. He is doing a great job with João Sousa who is the best Portuguese tennis player ever. I hope they can together accomplish the objectives and lead our country made increasing.

Reporter btrussia.com Ekaterina Bobkova

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