Paula and Ari, queens and number 1 in the 2024 ranking. Title also for Coello and Tapia

Queens of Premier Padel Kuwait City P1, queens of the FIP ranking, queens of 2024. With the ninth title of their fantastic season, Paula Josemaria and Ari Sanchez have made themselves unreachable: the two Spanish champions are now also arithmetically certain to end the season at the top of the world ranking. Gemma Triay and Claudia Fernandez, number 3 and number 4 respectively, also tried in Kuwait to stop Josemaria and Sanchez, but after two hours and 12 minutes they had to bow out with a score of 7-5 7-6. “I have no words – explained Paula –. At the beginning of the week I didn’t know if I would be able to play because of a knee problem and for that I also thank the medical staff for treating me every day. Thank you Ari, I’m really happy to be by your side”. Not only the certainty of finishing at number 1 in 2024, but also title number 36 as a pair for Josemaria and Sanchez: a huge number. “Everything that we are living is a dream – added Ari –. I only have words of thanks for Paula, who in such a difficult week came on court next to me. Let’s keep dreaming”. After a break at 5-4 in the first set that looked like it could have been decisive, Paula and Ari suffered a counterbreak, but created another chance for themselves at 6-5, this time not missed. In the second set, however, Gemma and Claudia had risen to 5-2, but had to deal with the comeback of the world number 1, who then dominated the tiebreak winning it with a score of 7-1.

MEN Triumphing in the men’s draw, however, for the 12^th time this season were Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia, also absolute dominators of this 2024 and who today won their 35th consecutive match (seven tournaments: Malaga, Madrid, Rotterdam, Valladolid, Paris, Dubai, Kuwait City). In the final against Franco Stupaczuk and Mike Yanguas, who had achieved an extraordinary feat in the semifinals (eliminating Fede Chingotto and Ale Galan), Coello and Tapia closed 6-4 6-2 in one hour and 19 minutes. In a balanced first set, a break in the ninth game made the difference; in the second set, however, from 2-1 for Stupaczuk and Yanguas, Arturito and Agus won five games in a row. “We are super happy and aware of everything we are achieving in this second part of the season, but we don’t want to stop”. Coello’s words. “It’s easy to play with a partner who wins points, defends, covers the court, makes my job easier – added Tapia -. It was a very nice tournament and for that I thank all the organisation”.

The Premier Padel circuit will return in a week with the last Major of the season, the one scheduled in Mexico, before the grand finale in Europe with the P1 in Milan and the Finals in Barcelona.