They didn’t start the course with the force expected, but right now they are, without a doubt, the fashionable couple. Paula Josemaría and Bea González have chained the last three Premier Padel titles and their performance at the Asunción P2 only confirms that they are the top favorites to lift the fourth. The hierarchy was imposed on the quarterfinal day: Both they and the other three couples that lead the professional ranking settled their commitments to meet in some very high-voltage semifinals.
‘Dinamita’ and ‘Pearl’ faced a trap duel on paper. They had already surpassed Marta Ortega and Martina Calvobut the nerve and bravery of the young Navarrese girl forced us to keep our guard up. However, Despite Calvo’s attempts to shake up the match, they were unable to decipher the plan of Claudio Gilardoni’s pupils. Bea and Paula dominated the tempo of the match from start to finish, exhibiting a defensive solidity that frustrated every rival attack. For the woman from Malaga it is a special event, since she has reigned in Paraguay in the last two editions and seeks to prolong her love affair with the Asunción public. The final 6-1 and 6-2 is evidence of an exceptional streak that not only increases his record, but dangerously reduces the distance with number one.
Their last obstacle before the final will be the duo formed by Claudia Fernández and Sofía Araujo. The woman from Madrid and the Portuguese woman had to put on their work overalls and suffer until the last ball to defeat Vero Virseda and Marina Guinartwho sold their defeat dearly. The number four still cannot find the fluidity necessary to dominate reliably, finding themselves on the ropes against lower-ranked couples. However, their undeniable competitive spirit allowed them to turn the score around to certify the pass by 3-6, 7-5 and 6-3, showing that even on gray days they are still a real threat.
Gemma and Delfi do not give up in the chase
The level of ‘Perlamita’ is scary, but Gemma Triay and Delfi Brea are not willing to make their way easier. The current number ones seem to have set their goal at the top of the ranking and, as long as Seba Nerone’s players continue to burn stages, Josemaría and González’s assault on the leadership will have to wait. Triay and Brea have not missed any Sunday appointments so far this season and in Asunción they have reached the penultimate round without even breaking a sweat, sending a clear message: if someone wants the trophy, they will have to take it from their hands.
Gemma Triay and Delfi Brea in Asunción.Premier Padel
In their quarterfinal duel Alejandra Salazar and Ale Alonso were measureda couple that has recently shown green shoots but is still far from the cruising pace of the leaders. Gemma and Delfi had a tactically impeccable match: extreme reliability, absence of unforced errors and surgical determination at key moments. The pressure on Alonso took effect and the young player ended up making more mistakes than usual against the imposing figure of Triay at the net. The final score of 6-2 and 6-4 places the Minorcan and the Argentine just one step away from maintaining their full finals.
Ari Sánchez and Andrea Ustero will be in charge of trying to break the script and avoid a new confrontation between the first two couples in the world. After a brilliant start to the year followed by a small dip in results, Ari and Andrea seem to have regained their smile and confidence in Paraguayan lands. In the quarterfinals they executed their usual “executioners”, Tamara Icardo and Claudia Jensen, in a very serious match that they closed 7-6 and 6-4. Although they do not show the overwhelming level of March, their innate talent makes them a couple capable of giving a scare to anyone in the SND Arena.