Bela-Yanguas super, it’s semifinal: the kings abdicate

BNL Italy Major Premier Padel will have a new champion duo. In the quarter finals of the men’s draw, in a Centre Court packed with many fans, world’s number 1 – Spanish Ale Galan and Juan Lebron, winners a year ago at Foro Italico – abdicate and bow to the overwhelming power of Mike Yanguas and the legend Fernando Belasteguin, who put in an extraordinary performance. They fly to the semifinals, at the end of a perfect game won with a peremptory 6-1, 6-3. On Saturday, in the second last act of the Roman Major, they will face Chingotto-Navarro, who beat Benitez-Del Castillo 6-0, 6-1 in the last quarter final match.

As mentioned, a surprising result, especially in terms of proportions, but absolutely deserved and consequence of a super display. After losing the opening game, Yanguas and Belasteguin – 21 years old the first, 44 the second considered the main ambassador of padel – have won six in a row closing the first set 6-1; a little more balance in the second set, especially in the initial phase, but in the end Yanguas and Bela, pushed by enthusiasm, managed to get the decisive break and also closed the second set with authority. The unforced errors also greatly influence the final result: 20 those committed by the winning couple, 40 those of the outgoing champions.

“I’m very happy“, said Bela at the end of the match, “I think that to get a result like this you needed the perfect match and we did it. Motivation and heart have always driven me in my career: I’m happy that my body is still following me and that I have won here, where people always show me so much love“. Honey words for the audience also from Yanguas, obviously over the moon. “You are very special“, said the Spaniard addressing the audience, “It was a very difficult match to win, we needed our best version and I want to thank Ale and Juan because I learned a lot from them. I want to fight every minute of Saturday’s match to book a place in the final“.

As mentioned, Chingotto and Paquito Navarro will compete against Yanguas and Belasteguin to go through to the final. The final match of the quarter finals was without history, with Benitez and Del Castillo collecting just one game…