Mendoza, Argentina’s penultimate tribute
Miguel Lamperti didn’t leave Mendoza with a victory, but with a much stronger image: that of an audience on its feet to salute a figure who has spanned generations. At the age of 47, the Argentinian played his penultimate professional event in his homeland at the FIP Silver in Mendoza, in an atmosphere where the score almost took second place.
Paired with Paraguayan Martín Abud, Lamperti lost in the first round to Mauricio Rivero and Francisco Maier after a tight match: 7/5, 6/7, 6/7. A frustrating defeat from a sporting point of view, but an emotionally-charged exit. Images shared after the match show a player touched, smiling, almost surprised by the extent of the affection he had received.
In Mendoza, the tribute went beyond a simple tournament exit frame. Lamperti rediscovered what has always accompanied him: a tribune that reacts to his gestures, his smiles, sometimes even his silences. Argentina didn’t applaud a ranking or a prize list, but a way of living padel, made up of panache, closeness and loyalty to oneself.
Who is Miguel Lamperti, beyond the character?
The nickname, the white hair, the celebrations, the glances towards the grandstand: there’s always been something theatrical about Miguel Lamperti. But to reduce him to his charisma would be unfair. The Argentine, long associated with Mar del Plata and still in the world’s top 100, remains a left-side player built around reading, variations and a constant presence at the net.
Lamperti’s career has spanned several major periods in professional padel, from the World Padel Tour years to the Premier Padel era. He shared the stage with benchmarks such as Juani Mieres and Maxi Grabiel, without reaching the rank of world number one, but occupying another position: that of the player capable of filling a hall even before warm-up.
His signing is well known: a patient defense behind the glass, a bandeja to take back the net, a vibora to accelerate the point, then this permanent contact with the public. In a padel game that has become more physical, faster and more standardized, Lamperti has retained an instantly recognizable identity.
This season of farewells gives a special dimension to each appearance. Actu Padel had already reported on his association with Isaac Huysveld at Brussels Premier Padel. In Mendoza, the setting was Argentinian, but the message remained the same: wherever he goes, Lamperti awakens a collective padel memory.
Buenos Aires, the final chapter at home
So Mendoza was not the end, but the penultimate Argentinian chapter in this farewell tour. The next stage will take Lamperti to the Buenos Aires P1scheduled for May 11-17, 2026. Subject to the final draw, he should meet up with Martín Abud for what is billed as his last professional tournament on Argentine soil.
In Buenos Aires, the stakes will inevitably be higher than the result. There’ll be an entry into the ring, perhaps a match that hangs in there, maybe a brutal exit as padel knows how to produce. But above all, there will be a moment of passage. Lamperti is gradually moving away from the very highest level without leaving the history he helped write.
He leaves behind more than just his prize list: a rare relationship with the stands, an expressive way of playing and the ability to transform a trivial point into a spectacle. His final tournament in Argentina promises to be less an end than the final at-home chapter in the career of a deeply popular player.
To remember:
- Miguel Lamperti was honored in Mendoza at his penultimate professional tournament in Argentina.
- With Martín Abud, he lost in three sets to Mauricio Rivero and Francisco Maier.
- Buenos Aires is due to mark its last professional appointment at home, in a season conceived as a farewell tour.
