Milan is not only the city of fashion, but also of great classical music. From Mozart to Rossini, via Beethoven, Teatro alla Scala has hosted some of the most celebrated works of all time. This morning, however, a different art form took centre stage at the Allianz Cloud: the final dance of padel legend Ale Salazar at the Milan P1, and in Italy. No piano or violin: her instrument, the racket, has been her lifelong companion. Through it, she has written unforgettable chapters in the history of the sport. And it mattered little that she was defeated in the quarter-finals by Ari Sanchez and Andrea Ustero, because the embrace of the Milanese crowd was the sweetest farewell possible. “Ale, Ale, Ale, Ale!” they chanted from the stands. After being called to the centre of the court amid prolonged applause for a fitting tribute, Salazar received a lifetime achievement award from Marco Gamberale, promoter of the Oysho Milano Premier Padel P1 and CEO of NSA Group, and from her long-time partner Gemma Triay, with whom she shares the distinction of being the most successful player in history, with 58 titles. Together, they were world number one in 2021 and 2022.
Summarising her career is impossible: over 26 years as a professional, she has taken the sport by the hand and guided it through every era, leading it towards modernity. Her two-year partnership with Triay was the only period in which Salazar held the top spot in the world rankings. She had previously been world number one in 2009, alongside Carolina Navarro, and in 2016, alongside Marta Marrero. The Spaniard has also been a mainstay of the national team, La Roja, with which she has won seven world titles.
Salazar is not just part of the past; she remains very much part of the present. The Madrid-born player is currently ranked 15th in the world and 15th in the season’s Race standings. She is therefore currently qualified for the Premier Padel Finals in Barcelona, which feature the 16 players with the highest annual rankings. Demonstrating her continued ambition and ability to compete at the highest level, in 2026, at almost 41 years of age (she will turn 41 on 31 December), Salazar has reached three finals on the CUPRA FIP Tour: two at Platinum tournaments, in Marseille and Tirana, and one at the FIP Gold tournament in Belgrade.
From now on, 16 October will hold a special significance: it will forever be remembered as Salazar’s ‘Last Dance’ in Milan. With her hand over her heart and tears in her eyes, she thanked the fans for their tribute. But what she may not realise is that they will never stop celebrating her for all the love she has given to padel.