Martín Di Nenno, the Phoenix of the Padel Courts
19 years old and high on adrenaline win, full of potential, Martín was struck with tragedy. His padel career came to a full stop. His life was now forever changed. Martin’s story is one of hardship and incredible willpower.
Di Nenno first rose to fame in the padel scene in 2007. He had shown great ability and professional skill in the Argentinian padel tennis circuit with Stupaczuk (stupa for short) as his padel partner. Together, they won many padel tournaments and padel World Cups in South America from 2007 to 2015.
The highlight of his career, at that time, was winning the Barcelona Challenger in 2015 against Juan Lebrón and Marcello Jardim. Later down the line, Martín managed to score a partnership with Paquito Navarro with whom he won many World Padel Tour titles, and a padel premier.
Martín Di Nenno is ranked 6th in the World Padel Tour (WPT) rankings and, 3RD by the International Padel Federation (FIP) ranking standards. Martin played a total of 339 padel matches, of which he won 231. With a 68% winning percentage. He has managed to accumulate 12 consecutive, impressive, padel winnings.
If you want to know more about Martín Di Nenno’s story with Padel and his achievements on the padel courts, then please come along.
Martín Di Nenno’s Data
| Name | Martín Di Nenno |
| Birthdate | March 18th, 1997 |
| Birthplace | Ezeiza, Argentina |
| Height | 5’9’’ (175 cm) |
| Sport | Padel |
| Playing position | Drive |
| Years active | 2007- 2016 (stopped due to injury) 2017- present |
| Partners | Franco Stupaczuk (2007- 2015) Lucas Campagnolo (beginning of 2017 season) Juan Manuel Restivo (2017-2018) Javi Garrido (2019- 2020) Augustine Gomez Silingo (2020) Maxi Sanchez (2020) Paquito Navarro (2021- 2022) Coki Nieto (end of 2022 season) Fede Chingotto (briefly, end of 2022) Franco Stupaczuk (present) |
Martín Di Nenno is known in the padel tennis courts as a hard-working athlete, who is driven by achievement and challenge. He plays strong games and is a worthy opponent.
As a padel player, he is very strategic and calculating. His movements are precise and aggressive. Balanced in order to play the perfect game.
Di Nenno’s Start in Padel
Martín was introduced to padel at a very young age. His parents owned numerous padel courts in their hometown in Ezeiza, Argentina. He spent hours playing as a replacement or filler for padel enthusiasts in his parents’ padel courts. He was also known to play games in between sessions.
This opportunity-built pleasure in the game and made Martín addicted to the challenge of competing and winning. His early introduction allowed him to assimilate the rules of the game easily and learn to strategize off and on the court.
When Tragedy Struck
In January of 2016, Martín, 19 years old, a rising star of padel tennis, suffered a tragic traffic accident around Monte Grande (close to Buenos Aires). The padel player was on a road trip with two of his best friends Hernán Rodríguez, a young promising padel player, and Elías Estrell. Both received fatal blows and died on the scene.
Martín, on the other hand, “only” broke both legs. His right femur split in two, his left kneecap was shattered, and he spent ten days in the ICU and a month in bed.
The doctors tragically informed him that they estimated that he would not be able to walk for two years. Effectively, he would never be able to play padel again.
Martín was helpless. He was both mentally and physically traumatized. He lost both of his best friends and both of his legs.
He survived, but at what cost?
The accident left the padel player with a bitter taste in his mouth. This was not the end. Like a phoenix, he rose from his ashes and dusted himself up.
He poured all his concentration into recovery. He chose to be a hard worker and managed to recover full use of both of his legs in a record 6 months. He spent 9 months without playing padel doing his best to get back in shape working with different coaches, doctors, and nutritionists both in Argentina and Spain.
He later says that to achieve great things, he had to align physically and mentally. Needless to say, his efforts did not go in vain. He slowly came back to padel courts playing in different tournaments with different padel partners. Until once again he showed what he was made of in Barcelona and won a World Padel Tour title at the Barcelona Master.
Playing with Paquito Navarro
In 2021, Martín was called on by Paquito Navarro (Paco) to play together in the padel court and become partners for the foreseeable future. This was a massive win for Martín, to be recognized by a legend such as Paquito and have the honor of playing beside him was a tremendous accomplishment. A highlight in his career.
The duo was dynamic, padel fans loved them together. It was beside Paco that Martín won the Barcelona Master 2021. This was proof for Martín that he could accomplish what he set his mind to and that his accident has only made him stronger.
It was a reward for all the suffering and self-sacrifice he went through. In a bittersweet moment, Martín had kissed his legs when they won the padel title.
Di Nenno soaked up Paco’s experience and got to learn from the best. Together, they went on to win four more World Padel Tour titles: the Cordoba Open in 2021, the Buenos Aires Mater in 2021, the Vigo Open 2022, and the Santander Open 2022, as well as a Padel Premier title at the Doha Major of 2022 against Juan Lebron and Alejandro Galan.
After many tournaments, the pair seemed to be starting to lose its spark and drive, and so they chose to separate. However, they did not cut their partnership before going out with a bang and winning against the three most ferocious couples in the padel circuit at the Santander Open of 2022.
They first defeated Stupa and Lima in the quarterfinals by a double score of 6-1, Sanyo and Tapia in the semifinals by the same score, and Bela and Coello (who had won 13 straight games) in the final by scores of 6-2 and 6-0.
This was their “last dance” together, and it was the best send-off they could have had.
Di Nenno and Stupa “Los Super-pibes” Touch the Sky
This padel duo was an arranged pair. They met when they were still young boys at Martín’s parents’ padel complex. Martín and Stupa’s parents had both envisioned the famous padel pair playing well together, with Martín’s fierce defense and Stupa’s aggressive attack.
The padel pair meshed better than expected, within their first year as partners in the junior circuit they won many tournaments. They managed to accumulate 6 World Cups and Sudamericanos from 2007 to 2015. They had also won the title of “super-pibes” (the super-kids). However, their padel partnership came to a stop after Martin’s accident in 2016 that lead to his severe leg injuries.
2023 the world finally saw them back in the padel courts as synchronized as they were when they were playing the junior padel circuits. This renewed partnership speaks to a hopeful long alliance after many years of competition.
It sounds catalyst for the padel players.
Di Nenno and Stupa have developed two playing styles that complement each other. Martín’s organizational skills, sense of order, and quick feet will establish the essential game so that Franco Stupa may adopt a more offensive approach.
Everyone had been waiting to see them back in the padel courts together like brothers. They delivered majestically at the Doha Padel Open 2023. They won their first official Padel Premier title against two great opponents: Fernando Belasteguin and Sanyo Guitierrez.
Everyone expected a great outcome from their partnership in the padel courts, this win was the icing on the cake for their fans. The Argentinian players were fierce, and the Argentinian public was ecstatic. Qatar seemed to bode well for their athletes.
This win announces good seasons to come for the padel pair, stay tuned to get the latest news on padel and Martín Di Nenno.
