The Foro Italico experienced a moment that will remain in the history of women's padel. After  4h12 of combat , making it the longest match ever played on the women's circuit Premier Padel,  Ari Sánchez and Andrea Ustero  achieved a monumental feat by eliminating  Paula Josemaria and Bea Gonzalez  in the semi-finals of the Italy Major 2026:  5/7 7/6 7/6 .

After much effort, tension and physical exhaustion, the No. 3 seed secured a place in the final by defeating the most in-form pair of the moment.

To bring down a team that seemed untouchable

The achievement takes on an even greater dimension when one observes the dynamics of the day's opponents.

 Paula Josemaría and Bea González had won five consecutive titles.  (and 22 consecutive victories!) and seemed to have found an impressive cruising speed since the start of the season. Their recent dominance made them the overwhelming favorites for the Rome tournament.

But on the blue track of the Foro Italico, in outdoor conditions that became increasingly humid as the hours passed, Ari Sánchez and Andrea Ustero refused to give in.

Despite losing the first set, they gradually found solutions to get back into the game and win two decisive tie-breaks.

The statistics perfectly illustrate the balance of this battle. Sánchez and Ustero finish with  51% of points earned versus 49% , proof of a confrontation where every detail mattered.

Ari Sánchez: "It takes at least four hours to beat the best."

During the post-match interview, Ari Sánchez couldn't resist a touch of humor:

"It takes at least four hours of play to beat the best on the circuit."

A sentence spoken with a smile after more than four hours of effort.

The Spanish player particularly emphasized the mental aspect of this victory:

"We were able to fight until the end and keep our heads. This is a very important victory for us."

Andrea Ustero finally breaks through the semi-final barrier

The emotion was also immense for  Andrea Ustero This qualification therefore represents a significant milestone for this young pair:

"Until now, we hadn't been able to get past the semi-finals."

Since last March and the Miami P1, there haven't been any finals to look forward to. It's been a long wait!

The image from the end of the match perfectly sums up what the four players went through.

During the traditional embrace at the net, faces were drawn. Fatigue was visible on both sides of the court.

This semi-final goes straight into the legend of the women's circuit because of its duration, but also because of its level of intensity and the stakes surrounding it.

A final that looks set to be one-sided in terms of physicality

One major question remains: how will Ari Sánchez and Andrea Ustero recover?

Because the final is coming very quickly and their future opponents will have a considerable advantage.

While Sánchez and Ustero spent more than four hours on the track,  Delfi Brea and Gemma Triay  secured their qualification much earlier in the day after a match that lasted less than two hours.

The difference in physical exertion is immense.

In an outdoor tournament where heat, humidity and playing conditions are constantly changing, recovery could become a determining factor.

One thing is certain: after achieving one of the greatest feats of the season and the longest match in the history of the women's circuit Premier Padel,  Ari Sánchez and Andrea Ustero have already left their mark on this Italy Major 2026. 

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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