The first ladies semi-final of the  Gijón Premier Padel P2  lived up to all its promises. In a match  full of context and emotion , the  seeded 3 Ariana Sánchez / Andrea Ustero  took over the  seeded 2 Paula Josemaría / Bea González  at the end of a major battle:  6/2 3/6 6/4 .

A very special encounter since  Ariana Sánchez and Paula Josemaría met face-to-face on a track for the first time .

 Reunion between two former number 1s 

The context gave a particular dimension to this semi-final. For more than  five years Sánchez and Josemaría formed one of the  the most dominant associations in women's padel , remaining  three seasons at the top of the world rankings .

But after their separation last year to launch new projects, the two Spanish women reunited this time  in opposing camps .

A duel inevitably charged with emotion.

 Ustero impresses in the first set 

The start of the match is very intense.  Ari Sánchez seems slightly tense  by the context and makes some unusual direct errors.

Fortunately for her,  Andrea Ustero plays an exceptional first set . At only  18 years The young Spanish woman pulls off a series of spectacular shots:

  • off-track
  • winning smashes
  • interceptions on the fly against Bea González's defenses

A truly  masterclass  which allowed the Sánchez/Ustero pair to take control of the set and win  6/2 .

 Josemaría and González reverse the dynamic 

The start of the second set remains in Sánchez and Ustero's favor. Ari gradually regains his usual solidity while Ustero continues to dictate the pace.

But at  3/1 with the break The game turns.  Ari Sánchez begins to tremble , makes numerous unforced errors and gives the initiative to their opponents.

Opposite,  Paula Josemaría and especially Bea González are gaining momentum More aggressive and more impactful, they follow one another  five consecutive games  to completely turn the tide and win the round  6/3 .

 A third set under high tension 

The start of the deciding set is stranger, with a slight dip in form from Josemaría and González who seem to be paying for the efforts made in the previous set.

Sánchez and Ustero take advantage of this to regain control.  Andrea Ustero continues his huge match while Ari Sánchez regains his form.

The duo achieves a  quick double break to lead 4-1 .

But the tension returns.  5/2 Sánchez and Ustero obtain  three match balls , without managing to conclude. Josemaría and González break back and briefly revive the suspense.

Ultimately, the Spanish women remained solid on their serve and closed out the match.  6/4 in the third set .

 Ustero confirms his immense potential 

This semi-final confirms one thing:  Andrea Ustero is already among the top players on the circuit . At only  18 years She delivered one of the most memorable matches of the tournament.

With this victory,  Sánchez and Ustero reach their second final in two tournaments together , an almost perfect start to a partnership.

For  Josemaría and González The frustration continues. After an elimination in  quarter-final in Riyadh , they stop this time  in the semi-finals , still without a final since the beginning of their association.

 A very high-level final is in prospect. 

Finally,  Sánchez and Ustero  will face either  Gemma Triay / Delfi Brea , the world number 1, that is  Tamara Icardo / Claudia Jensen , authors of a big upset in the quarter-finals.

Whatever happens,  Gijón P2 promises an explosive final .

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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