BNL Italy Major Premier Padel, the finals: ‘Chingalan’ conquer first Major, Ari and Paula unstoppable

Ale Galan and Fede Chingotto’s first Major, Ari Sanchez and Paula Josemaria’s ‘revenge’. BNL Italy Major Premier Padel has elected the winning pairs: in the men’s draw, defending champions Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia – the number 1 pair – were ousted by the ‘pareja’ of the moment, playing their seventh final out of seven tournaments played together, while in the women’s, Ari and Paula redeemed their defeat in the final 12 months later by clearly beating Lucia Sainz and Patty Llaguno (8). It was an exciting denouement to the tournament in Rome, in a Foro Italico packed with fans – as many as 30,000 spectators registered throughout the week-long tournament – and with several personalities present, starting with Qatar’s ambassador Khalid Yousuf al Sada, guest in the box of honor of International Padel Federation president Luigi Carraro and Italian Tennis and Padel Federation president Angelo Binaghi. With them, Marco Mezzaroma and Diego Nepi Molineris respectively president and Ceo of Sport e Salute – the organizer of the Major with FITP and FIP – Councillor Alessandro Onorato (Great Events, Sport, Tourism and Fashion of Roma Capitale) and Councillor of the City of Milan Martina Riva (Sport, Tourism and Youth Policies). In the parade of VIPs and in the days of the European Football Championship, the presence of former Milan player Marco Amelia, 2006 World Champion, did not go unnoticed.

MEN The (sixth) final between Coello/Tapia and Galan/Chingotto – in their seventh head-to-head of the season, with a tally so far tonight of three wins for each paie – is all about spectacle and does not betray expectations. The “Chingalan” come out of the blocks better and immediately lead 5-2 with two breaks, the No. 1s try to recover but the first set closes 6-4 for Galan and Chingotto. Coello and Tapia’s reaction was not long in coming: breaks in the second and sixth games and the second set is history, 6-1. The number 2 seeded pair does not get down, in fact they raise the level of their padel again confirming their incredible connection. In the fourth game comes the first break, in the sixth the second before closing 6-1 in one hour and 52 minutes: for the Chingalan it is the fourth title of the season, after the P2 in Brussels and Seville and the P1 in Mar del Plata. Thanks to this result, Chingotto bypasses fellow Argentinian Martin Di Nenno and Juan Lebron and rises to fourth place in the FIP ranking, while Galan overcomes Tapia and moves up to second.

“Hello everyone,” Galan says, “it’s an incredible feeling, we know what happened last year, we couldn’t enjoy this tournament because of Lebron’s injury. I am so happy to be here with Federico this year, it is an incredible project. My family here has been a plus, I have to congratulate Federico for what he has done really incredible. And I have to thank the whole team, the family, everyone who supports us. Thanks to Rome, thanks to Italy.”

Chingotto is also the picture of happiness: “I think we are living a dream, no one can wake me up…I am very, very happy. I want to congratulate everyone, obviously also our opponents, I only have words of thanks. Ale and I are getting better and better as a couple, I’m still thinking about what we can do together!”

WOMEN The women’s final is a monologue of Ari and Paula, leaving the crumbs to Sainz and Llaguno, who at 39 can still be more than proud of the tournament played and of having reached the final of a Major. With a great jump in the FIP ranking, given the three positions gained (Sainz from 14th to 11th, Llaguno from 16th to 13th). The 6-1 6-0 score pretty much says it all about a final closed in 53 minutes, where the two number 1 in FIP ranking immediately set their pace in the match and proved their superiority. For Ari and Paula this is the second Major won out of two played this season, the third in their careers. It is also the fourth title of the season for them.

“First of all I want to congratulate our opponents, because for us they have always been two landmarks and an incredible example, we have grown by watching them“, were Josemaria‘s words at the end of the match, “We played a very positive match, last year we were left out of the door…this year we take the tournament home and we are very happy. A great final and a great tournament. We did more than we expected to do: thank you Italy, thank you Rome. It’s a pleasure to play here.”

At Foro Italico, excluding the semifinals against Jessica Castelló and Claudia Jensen, the two number 1 ranked FIP players never lost more than two games in a set. “I want to echo Paula’s words, to thank two professionals like Lucia and Patty. It’s not easy to get to the final of a Major, it’s very complicated“, were Sanchez‘s words, “We are very happy. It hurt me so much to lose last year’s final, I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I’m happy to have played at this level today and all week. Today we played the almost perfect match, I am happy that my family is here: they are always with me, I dedicate the title to them. I thank Rome and Italy, see you next year“.