“Which footballer does Agustin remind me of in terms of playing style? Messi, without a doubt. Among those I’ve met here in Milan, I’d say Paulo Dybala.” Arturo Coello paid this tribute to the talent of his partner, Agustin Tapia, after their 6–4, 6–3 semifinal victory over Franco Stupaczuk and Jon Sanz at the Allianz Cloud.The victory secured the Spaniard a place in the history books: he became the first player to reach the milestone of 300 wins on the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour. While the achievement is being celebrated at the Oysho Milano Premier Padel P1, Tapia is already looking ahead to the ring awarded to the champions, dreaming of a photo like Messi’s: “I’d love to take a photo with the ring like Leo did, but I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself. We’ve been away from home for three weeks. We want to finish the European tour in the perfect way before flying to Kuwait and the World Championships.”
Coello and Tapia have reached their fourth consecutive final, and their third in a row in Milan, thanks in part to their impressive serving statistics. “The impact of the first serve in a match depends a lot on the speed of the court. The central court was slow yesterday, but today, with so many people in attendance and the higher temperature, it became faster.” The world number ones are facing a packed schedule, but breaks between tournaments provide an opportunity to improve their game. “I make the most of the weeks without tournaments to work hard. I need to make more improvements than Arturo does. His game is much more defined than mine.” Tapia then went on to discuss the importance of the mental approach to matches: “Matches are won through many different moments, including the warm-up. We always try to be at our best at every stage. Warming up properly isn’t about intimidating our opponents, but about getting ourselves fired up. Now we need to prepare for the next challenges. Tomorrow, we’ll play in our third consecutive final. I’m very happy to have adapted to every type of court, from fast to slow surfaces. I’m pleased with the work we’ve done as a team.”
“I really enjoy playing in Milan,” Arturo explained. “I love walking around the city centre. Agustin and I have explored the city together. Our match times have allowed us to do some sightseeing.” The world number ones are enjoying yet another dream season: they have won 11 titles, including the two Major tournaments held in Rome and Paris. Coello and Tapia will take to the court for the final at the Allianz Cloud. Whoever faces them will have to overcome a partnership that is almost unbeatable in finals: since June, they have won all nine finals they have contested. Furthermore, their record in Milan is already impressive. They won this P1 title in 2024, defeating Ale Galan and Fede Chingotto in the final. Now, padel fans have just one more day to wait before enjoying the grand finale of the Milan P1, featuring two of the sport’s biggest stars.