Current world number 1 alongside Paula Josemaría, Ariana Sánchez gave a long interview to MarcaThis is an opportunity for the Reus player to look back on her start to the 2025 season, her career, and her ambitions for the future.

A solid start to the season despite criticism

With now two titles won in 2025, including the very recent Brussels P2 yesterday against Gemma Triay and Delfi Brea (6/2 6/4), Ariana Sánchez considers her start to the year to be positive: "We would like to win all the tournaments, but it's difficult. Every year, some doubt us. It's part of the game, but we remain ambitious."

This victory in Brussels P2 is particularly significant: it ends a series of three consecutive defeats against the Triay / Brea pair, and demonstrates that the work of the Sánchez / Josemaría team is bearing fruit.

A fierce battle to retain the throne

Sánchez speaks with great lucidity about the difficulty of staying at the top: "Keeping the number 1 spot is even harder than reaching it. Every year, new teams are formed with the goal of beating us. We have to constantly evolve."

In particular, she highlights the challenge of her cross-duel with Gemma Triay, an opponent she has faced since her professional debut: "Gemma made me grow as a player. It's always an incredible battle."

A season marked by the importance of major tournaments

Aware of the importance of the Majors and P1s, Ariana explains that these competitions are prepared "with particular care in the calendar," highlighting the additional pressure they generate. But this pressure also fuels her motivation: "When you're number 1, everyone wants to beat you. It forces you to be perfect every day."

A look towards the future of women's padel

Witnessing the meteoric rise of women's padel, Ariana is delighted with the progress: "Today, even players outside the Top 10 can make a living from padel. It's fantastic for the future of the sport."

His ultimate dream? To see padel become an Olympic sport. "I hope to be able to participate in the Games, even if age may be a factor. Padel deserves this global recognition."

A competitor at heart

Despite already nine years of experience at the highest level, Ariana keeps her thirst for victory intact: "Paula and I are still hungry for titles. We want to continue making history."

Benjamin Dupouy

I discovered padel directly during a tournament, and frankly, I didn't really like it at first. But the second time, it was love at first sight, and since then, I haven't missed a single match. I'm even ready to stay up until 3am to watch a final of Premier Padel !

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