Claudia Fernández and Martina Calvo qualified for the Paris Major final by defeating world number ones Gemma Triay and Delfi Brea on Philippe-Chatrier court. This victory makes the Spanish pair the youngest ever to reach a Major final. After the match, they reflected on how they managed the end of the match, their memories of Madrid, the support of the Parisian crowd, and their approach to big matches without letting the pressure get to them. 

The memory of Madrid at the time of conclusion

With a significant lead in the second set,  Fernandez / Calvo  They might have thought back to Madrid, where a favorable situation had eluded them. The memory was certainly there, Fernández acknowledges, but not in the form of fear.

 Claudia Fernández:  “No, I don’t think the word is ‘fear.’ Obviously, you remember it, but in a positive way: so that it doesn’t happen again.”

The young Spaniard explained that she mainly sought to separate the score from the way they played.

"We needed to focus on each point, not the score. We found ourselves down 0-40 by doing things correctly and they came back, with Gemma serving very well."

"We have to accept that they play too. In Madrid, it was Bea and Paula, here it's them. We know who they are. So no, it's not fear, it's more about respect and the need to find a solution. And we found it."

Fernández: "At first, I couldn't see anything."

Facing the world's number 1 players and in front of a  Philippe-Chatrier almost full Fernández/Calvo, however, had to deal with the particularities of an outdoor court.

For Fernández, the start of the match was even complicated because of the alternation between sun and shade.

"Honestly, I started the match with a lot of doubts because the sun and shade were killing me. I couldn't see anything, absolutely nothing. I was quite negative because of that."

"Pablo told me he needed me to be happy, to be joyful, so I tried. And thanks also to Martina, I managed to rediscover that joy."

“At the end of the match, you believe it, but at the same time you don’t really believe it. It’s like: ‘We won? Yes, we won.’ I’m super happy about this victory and to have achieved it with Martina.”

The youngest pair in a Major final

This qualification has a particular dimension:  Fernández/Calvo become the youngest pair to reach a Major final .

"In the end, you have to remember that it's just another match. Whether it's a Major, a P1 or a P2, we play every week and all the players participate in the tournaments."

This does not mean that a Major has no more value, but rather that the situations they face remain comparable from one week to the next.

"I'm not going to say that it diminishes the value of it being a Major, a P1 or a P2, but we ultimately find ourselves in the same situation every week."

And above all, Fernández believes that their current level allows them to no longer consider a victory against the best as an anomaly.

 "I think we are very well prepared for this: to beat number 1, number 2, number 3, number 40, number 50... to beat everyone." 

Philippe-Chatrier behind Fernández / Calvo

As the match progressed, a significant portion of the Parisian crowd rallied behind the two young Spanish players.

Calvo places the change in atmosphere around one of his celebrations.

 Martina Calvo:  "I think that when I had my special celebration, people went crazy and from then on, they started to cheer us on a little more."

"I don't know if they were only encouraging us, I don't think so. But it's true that it makes a big difference when people support us. It gives us a boost of energy."

"We're happy about that. We'll see if they're still with us tomorrow!"

Pablo on the bench: "He lives every point intensely."

The behavior of  Pablo Ayma  This also did not go unnoticed. Very active from the bench, the coach experienced every point with his players.

Fernandez smiled at that.

"Yes, we realize that. He's very involved in the match. From the outside, you can see everything better and, above all, earlier."

"Gaby and Pablo have already experienced all of this. They see things before we do, and we have that advantage."

"Perhaps if we make a mistake, we'll get a little scolding!"

As for asking Ayma to just sit quietly on her bench…

"He has to try to stay calm, but his personality isn't really suited to staying still, so it's complicated!"

"If Rafa says we have to suffer, then we suffer even more."

At Roland-Garros, the reference to  Rafael Nadal  is almost inevitable. A quote from the fourteen-time winner of the tournament was put to the players: in Paris, you have to learn to suffer.

Fernández shares the idea, while placing the word "suffering" in the context of professional sport.

"We're suffering everywhere. We suffered yesterday, and the day before too. It's a different kind of suffering. It's obviously not real suffering, but the kind you can feel as a professional athlete."

She specifically mentions everything that the player does not control during a match.

"There are many things that may not depend on you, or that you think you could do better. You think back on it, you see a match that could have slipped away from you or opportunities that you think may not come again."

Before concluding with a touch of humor:

 "I agree with Rafa. We have so much to learn from him. And if he says we have to suffer, then we suffer even more!" 

What trick can you steal from your partner?

Last question, much lighter:  If each could take a blow from the other, which would she choose? 

Fernández begins by joking:

"Her celebration! But I'm sure I wouldn't be able to do it like her."

Before returning to padel:

"I think I would take his smash."

Calvo, for his part, chose a very specific quality of his partner's backhand:

"Personally, I would take his way of moving forward with his backhand."

Two answers that also illustrate the differences between their games:  Calvo's power and finishing ability, Fernández's ball quality and initiative. 

By eliminating  Gemma Triay / Delfi Brea , defending champions and world number 1, Fernández / Calvo have reached their first Major final together.

Fernández summed it up bluntly:

 "We are prepared to beat the number 1s, the number 2s, the number 3s... to beat everyone." 

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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