Day 4 women: Spain-Portugal and Italy-France, two European derbies light up the women’s semifinals

Spain-Portugal and Italy-France. If you want to look at the FIP European Padel Championships semifinals from the perspective of rivalry, these are undoubtedly two derbies. And very intense ones. France, which finished second in the European Championship in Marbella won by Spain—with Italy third after being defeated in the semifinals by the Spaniards—won the battle in the quarter-finals against the Netherlands. After taking the first match with Collombon/Ginier against Hemmes/Van der Hoek (6-3 6-3), the most beautiful match of the quarters morning followed, with the experienced Dutch pair Weterings/Koek, victorious in a comeback against Sireix/Touly 6-7 6-2 6-4. However, France held one of the most in-form players of the moment, Léa Godallier, for the last match, who, paired with Soubrie, easily overcame Betz/Segou Jonker (6-2 6-3). For Italy, another rapid victory against Denmark by 3-0, conceding only seven games in total by Stellato/Sussarello, Casali/Vano, and Marchetti/Pappacena.

A lightning victory also for Spain against Germany, to whom Alonso/Ustero, Castello/Ortega, and Caldera/Rufo conceded only three games in total. Another close match, however, between Sweden and Portugal, who were playing for the next match against the highly favored Spaniards. The Swedes started strong, winning the first match with Girdo/Navarro Bjork who inflicted a double 6-2 on Castro Vilela/Fernandes. To level things up, amid traditionally heated support from the Portuguese and Swedes, were the FIP number 12 ranked Sofia Araujo – paired with Patricia Ribeiro – with a decisive 6-1 6-4 against Bjork/Jarlskog. In the decisive match, Nogueira-Rodrigues sealed the deal 6-3 6-2 over Behram/Soleymani, earning the match against Spain.