Ari Sánchez and Andrea Ustero will play in the final of the 2026 Paris Major. The third seed defeated Marta Ortega and Sofia Araújo. in the semi-final, 5/7 6/4 6/1After a 2-hour, 22-minute battle on Philippe-Chatrier court, the Spanish pair secured another impressive victory, reaching their second Major final of the season after Rome. Following the match, the two players reflected on their consistency, their complementary skills, and the importance of sticking together through tough times. 

The regularity of Ari Sánchez and Andrea Ustero  This is confirmed at Roland-Garros.

Trailing after losing the first set against  Marta Ortega / Sofia Araújo The Spanish women gradually turned the tide of the semi-final to win  5/7 6/4 6/1 .

A victory that allows them to reach another important final in 2026. The pair had already played in the final of the  Major of Rome , after a semi-final that became historic against Paula Josemaría and Bea González:  4h12 game , record duration on the circuit Premier Padel at the time of the meeting.

Sánchez and Ustero had then won  5/7 7/6 7/6 , after saving several match points.

In Paris, the scenario was less extreme, but it still took three sets to reach the final.

Ari Sánchez: "Every match is very difficult"

 You've shown great consistency this season. How important is this consistency to you? 

 Ari Sanchez:  "As you said, I think we're having a fairly consistent year in terms of results, almost never dropping below the semi-finals and playing in several finals. We're happy with that."

For the former world number 1, this consistency takes on even greater value in an increasingly competitive women's circuit.

“Every year, I think women’s padel is becoming more balanced. Every match is very difficult. To win the first round, you already have to give your all. So I think it’s very important to continue progressing in the rankings to be consistent, especially in important tournaments like the Majors.”

And indeed, they succeed at major events.

“We were lucky enough to play in two Major finals this year. Now I’m going to think about tomorrow because we have a final. Winning it would be something very special. Now we’re going to rest and then prepare for the match.”

Rome, 4 hours and 12 minutes of fighting: "It wasn't normal"

It is impossible to talk about Major with Sánchez / Ustero without going back to their incredible semi-final in Rome.

Facing  Paula Josemaría / Bea González the Spanish women had passed  4 hours and 12 minutes on the track  before winning 5/7 7/6 7/6.

A marathon that will undoubtedly remain in our memories.

 Andrea Ustero:  “We train physically with our team to cope with matches like these. It’s true that what happened in Rome wasn’t normal, it’s not the norm. But we know that a match can also become very, very tough.”

For Ustero, physical preparation should allow the pair to be ready when matches get longer.

“We are always working to ensure we can hold on and to minimize the physical strain. We are happy about that, and tomorrow we will have to try to take another step forward.”

Sánchez would like to steal… Ustero's strike

A lighter question at the press conference:  If each could steal a drink from her partner, which would she choose? 

For Ari Sánchez, the choice was quick.

"I think that's a pretty easy question. For Andrea, I'd take the par 3, or more generally her shot, because she hits it very well from any area, whether it's to bring the ball back into her own court or to put it out."

But Sánchez would also like to get something less technical back:  the audacity of his young partner .

"I would take away that audacity she possesses in important moments. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but she always keeps trying. I think she needs to keep that because it's something that makes her different from other players."

Ustero: "Ari's backhand is impressive"

Andrea Ustero, too, did not hesitate long when choosing a weapon in Sánchez's game.

"Without a doubt, her backhand from the baseline. I think with her backhand, she manages to move everyone around as she pleases."

And Ustero even admits to drawing inspiration from it in training.

"That's precisely something I'm working on. I'm trying to observe it, but without a doubt, its downside is a barbarity."

Ustero's strike, an increasingly accepted weapon

At just 19 years old, Andrea Ustero already possesses one of the most dangerous shots on the women's circuit. And the left-hander makes no secret of the importance of this weapon in her game.

"I have to take advantage of the weapon I have with my strike. When I feel confident, I can strike from any area because I know it's my best shot."

But the goal isn't just to possess that power. You also need to be able to use it when the pressure mounts.

"I need to work on it during matches, especially in important moments. Today, I think my shot was very useful to us, and I hope it will be just as useful to us tomorrow as it was today."

Ustero also reassured everyone about the minor blow to his eye he received during the third set.

"I took a little knock against the fence in the third set, but nothing serious. I put some ice on it and that's all."

"We need to reach out to each other more."

Another moment from the semi-final also caught the eye.

On the bench,  Angel González Their coach asked his players to get closer, to move towards each other and to make more contact between points.

A minor detail? Not really, according to Ari Sánchez.

"It's obvious that at certain points in matches, when things aren't going well or you're a little less focused, you might start playing more on your own. You're less close on the track, you're less likely to high-five or talk to the other person."

However, for Sánchez, this connection constitutes one of the bases of their functioning.

"I think it's something very important. In the end, we're both rowing in the same direction. We're both players who like to encourage and support each other."

But the tension of a match can sometimes change these habits.

“It’s true that at times you can get more annoyed or frustrated because things aren’t going the way you want. So we just said to each other on the bench: ‘We need to be together more, we’re too separated.’”

The message has been heard.

"For us, it's very important to feel the support of each other, to encourage each other when one of us misses a goal or when things aren't going well. It was a one-off thing. We talk about it on the bench and then we sort it out very quickly."

Football stars in the stands: no pressure for Ustero

The presence of several big names in football around the Philippe-Chatrier stadium was also mentioned in the press conference.  Ferran Torres In particular, he had recently posed with Andrea Ustero.

This extra attention does not bother the young Spanish woman.

"I don't know if they watched the match today or not, but I think they love padel. They come here and watch how we all play. But it doesn't put any pressure on us."

While still taking a quick look towards the stands…

“We might think, ‘Look who’s here!’, but it doesn’t put any pressure on us and it doesn’t affect our game at all.”

There is now one last step to take for  Ari Sánchez / Andrea Ustero .

And the final matchup is particularly interesting: the  TS3 Sánchez / Ustero will face TS4 Claudia Fernández / Martina Calvo .

For Sánchez/Ustero, it will already be  a second Major final in 2026 after Rome This time, the objective is clear: to finish the job.

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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