The dynamics have clearly reversed. After an impressive start to the season, the pair formed by  Ari Sánchez  et  Andrea Ustero  is going through a zone of turbulence.  Eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Brussels P2 tournament by Tamara Icardo and Claudia Jensen, 6/4, 6/2,  They have now reached a fourth consecutive tournament without a final. This setback is starting to raise questions.

Icardo/Jensen solid, Sánchez/Ustero (far) too imprecise

The contrast was striking on the Brussels track. On one side, a pair  Tamara Icardo / Claudia Jensen applied,  rigorous, almost clinical. On the other hand, an association  Ari Sánchez / Andrea Ustero in difficulty hampered by a far too high volume of unforced errors.

The numbers speak for themselves:  Only 18 fouls for Icardo / Jensen , against…  45 for their opponents A gap that perfectly sums up the nature of the match.

Andrea Ustero's high-risk, attacking style, so effective at the start of the season, backfired this time. When everything clicks, her aggression is devastating. But as soon as things go wrong, the punishment is immediate. And in Brussels, this translated into a real slump.

Icardo/Jensen solid, Sánchez/Ustero (far) too imprecise

No finals since Gijón

Just a few weeks ago, this pair represented one of the main threats to the world's number ones.

Their start to the season had made a lasting impression:  a title at the P1 of Riyadh , secured against Gemma Triay and Delfi Brea (in a different configuration then), then a final played in Gijón.

But since then, the momentum has lost steam.  Two defeats in the semi-finals  face  Josemaría / González  (in New Giza and then Miami), and now  two eliminations in the quarter-finals in  Cancun and Brussels. 

What made them strong – intensity, consistency, ability to impose the rhythm – seems to have gradually faded over the course of the tournaments.

Ari Sánchez after his defeat against González/Josemaría: “The semi-finals are not enough, we cannot be satisfied with that.”

How to restart the machine?

For Ari Sánchez, accustomed to the highest levels and almost flawless consistency, this period is unusual. But her experience remains a major asset.

On the track, she always displays her characteristic calm. Now, it's off the field that her role will be key:  to guide, reassure and restore confidence to Andrea Ustero, whose potential is beyond doubt. 

The young Spaniard already proved earlier this year that she can perform at an exceptional level. She now needs to rediscover that composure in key moments, that balance between risk-taking and control.

The circuit is long. But for Sánchez/Ustero, the time has come to react if they want to quickly get back into the title race.

Maceo ZERHAT

Maceo Zerhat discovered padel in 2020 in Savigny-sur-Clairis, Burgundy. He contributed to the club's expansion by bringing his energy and curiosity. Padel Magazinehe transmits his Padel"mania" by skillfully bouncing on all the latest news about your favorite sport!

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