Gassi tests Mallorca. Norman has questions.

Some people have talent. Others just haven't met Gassi yet.

Gassi learned Mallorquin by sitting on his boat in the mornings and listening to the fishermen. He never crammed vocabulary or learned a single grammar rule. At some point he simply spoke it. The fishermen were presumably just as surprised as he was, although to this day Gassi can't see what's so astonishing about it. After all, you only have to listen to people.

For some time now he has brought the same attitude to his job for WOW FINCA. He visits our new partners on Mallorca, gets to know them and personally tries out what we want to offer our guests through the WOW Concierge. A job for which Gassi is almost outrageously well suited. After all, he meets every person on equal terms, regardless of whether they hold three Michelin stars, are world champion in something or other, or pull their fish out of the harbour at six in the morning.

This time his work took him to Norman Messina of Enjoy Padel. Norman is a man who doesn't just play padel, he lives it. He coaches beginners and advanced players, organizes camps and is one of those people who can hit a ball so precisely that you wonder whether they had a word with it beforehand. Gassi had never played padel. He didn't even know exactly what it was. Ideal conditions, then.

Norman took his time, explained the rules and showed his guest how to hold the racket. Gassi watched, nodded occasionally and asked whether the glass walls were really part of the game. Norman said yes and demonstrated a first shot. Then he handed Gassi the racket. What happened next deserves at least a footnote in the history of Mallorcan padel. Gassi hit the first ball perfectly, the second even better, and on the third played a lob that landed so precisely behind Norman that he paused for a moment and asked about any previous experience. Gassi said no. He had only just watched, after all. Norman smiled and carried on. After ten minutes he had stopped smiling. After twenty minutes he was playing seriously. After thirty minutes he was trying to find out whether Gassi might have turned up under a false name. The man moved with astonishing economy, played angles you normally only master after years of training, and seemed to know where the ball would go before Norman had even hit it. Gassi, meanwhile, made no effort whatsoever to find his performance particularly remarkable. He was here on business, after all, and wanted to know whether Norman knew his craft. Which he undoubtedly did, even if it didn't always look that way that morning.

At some point Norman asked how Gassi did it. Gassi didn't understand the question. He had just watched how Norman played. It really wasn't that complicated. Norman tried to explain that people normally needed years to reach that level. Gassi found that astonishing. It reminded him of the thing with Mallorquin. Back then he had sat on his boat in the mornings and listened to the fishermen. At some point he had simply understood what they were saying, and then started speaking it himself. Norman wanted to know how long that had taken. Gassi couldn't remember. Not particularly long, anyway. Norman looked at his racket. Probably for the first time in his life with a certain skepticism.

By the end of the session the roles had shifted for good. Norman was talking about talent, exceptional game intelligence and the possibility of preparing Gassi specifically for tournaments. Gassi, on the other hand, wanted to know whether there was a decent restaurant nearby. When Norman cautiously pointed out that he might be on the verge of an extraordinary sporting career, Gassi waved it off. He already had a job. Besides, he still had to visit a golf coach, meet a private chef and try out various other offers for the WOW Concierge. You can't play padel all day, after all. Norman evidently saw it differently, but couldn't find any convincing arguments.

Tested by Gassi. Recommended for the WOW Concierge.

That Gassi almost started a padel career along the way is, of course, less important for our guests than the actual news: with Norman Messina and Enjoy Padel we have gained a great new partner for the WOW Concierge. If you want to try padel in Mallorca or improve your game, you can book a private training session through WOW FINCA. Norman and his team coach beginners as well as advanced players, at various locations on the island and as close to your finca as possible. Racket, balls and court are included. One hour of private training for up to two people costs from 100 euros. Multi-day padel camps are also possible. You tell us when you want to play, we take care of the rest. And don't worry: Norman is an excellent coach. You shouldn't hold it against him that he couldn't teach Gassi very much that morning.

When they said goodbye, Norman made one last attempt to win his unusual guest over for another session. In his entire career he had rarely seen anyone with such a natural feel for the ball. Gassi thanked him politely, promised to think about it, and asked whether Norman happened to play golf as well.

No, said Norman.

Gassi nodded understandingly.

“I can show you sometime.”