Alonso and Ustero, the “wonderkids” come at the number 1 on the Centre Court
July 12, 2023Centre Court of the Foro Italico, second match of the afternoon session starting at 6 p.m.. Two very young players come at the number 1 in the women’s draw of the BNL Italy Major Premier Padel, Ariana Sanchez and Paula Josemaria. In two, Alejandra Alonso and Andrea Ustero are 33 years old: born in 2006 in Valladolid Alejandra, even in 2007 Andrea, from Barcelona. Two champions of the future, but also of the present, since a few days ago they won the Spanish title in Torrent (Comunidad Valenciana), beating 4-6 6-2 6-0 the pair formed by Sandra Bellver and Arantxa Soriano.
While Alejandra started playing padel at the age of eight, convinced by her mother and sister and with the family set up a padel court in the backyard during the lockdown period, her father took little Andrea to the padel courts, which she soon began to enjoy more than tennis. “Being alone on the court bored me, I felt I was missing something – said Ustero in an interview with Spanish newspaper AS -. These results came sooner than we expected, but there is a lot of work behind it”. Feet on the ground, also because the road is very long: “My parents are my idols, because I’m aware of the efforts they have made to get me where I am”. On the idol, however, Andrea has no doubts: “Paula Josemaria”. One of the two players who will be on the other side of the net this afternoon.